Come Back to Me
by missscatterbrain325
Summary: In the R series break up, Darien's pain & the Scout's role as concerned friends weren't really highlighted & Darien never got the chance to ask Serena to 'Come Back to Me'. This tale that's loosely based on the series, explores the Scout's & Darien's POV as well as Serena's. It's told with quite a bit of sorrow and a touch of romance. Angst with a happy ending.
1. Heartache

**A/N:** I haven't written **_anything_** for 10 whole days! (Lab reports, essays & assignments don't count!). WOW! I thought of working on **Mother & Sons** for **TOBITF** but I'm still off my game a bit and these snippets in my head won't leave me alone! I know the story of the R break up has been done so many times, in so many different ways, but I just **_have _**to get in my version of it! For this story, I'll be using some dialogues from episodes 62 and 70 but the sequence of the events will be altered. I'm staying close to the anime but will be adding in my own twist as well. For one thing, there won't be any Rini in my story. And the formatting is slightly different than my other stories. I'm also trying my hand with angst (Suits my current mood!).

Well, here's presenting you my Fourth fanfic: **Come Back to Me**...which will be told in three-shots (maybe four).

This story is dedicated to **Shaydoe**, a wonderful friend I met on ff. You are a treasure! :)

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Summary:**

In the R series break up, Darien never got the chance to ask Serena to 'Come Back to Me' did he? Well, he's about to get his chance in this tale fiction that's loosely based on the series, told with a drop of sorrow and morsels of romance! Angst with a happy ending and no Rini.

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**Come Back to Me ****(Part 1: Heartache)**

Serena lay in the dark, aching. Ached and ached and ached. Closing her tear shrouded eyes, his handsome face appeared before her. She could see the tenderness in his gaze, the love in his deep blue eyes every time he looked at her, could hear his smooth deep voice saying "I love you Serena."

_It would get better with time, _she tried to comfort herself, turning her face into her pillow. Hot tears trickled from the corners of her eyes. She doesn't believe that it would **_ever_** get better. "Oh! Please come back to me!" She moaned desperately into her pillow. Her shoulders heaved. More tears came. Violent, **_helpless_**, **_hopeless_** tears. She cried until she couldn't cry anymore. She cried until sleep took her in the early hours of morning.

Walking back from school the following day, Serena's mind was still fuzzy with fatigue from her lack of sleep and her crying jag. She had gone through the day in a daze. It seemed even Miss Haruna took pity on her and neglected to bestow her usual detention.

Sighing, she absentmindedly pressed a hand to her heart. Her head ached now and in her belly, swam the now constant vague sickness. _I'll just lie down. Sleep it off._ She told herself. But the image of him came to the forefront of her mind yet again. He's always there, lurking in every corner of her consciousness.

She knew that broken hearts heal. Knew also that chances are, the cracks would always be there, the thin scars. But these too, would heal. Many before her had lived and laughed, walked and talked with those cracks and scars. But how many of them had their hearts broken by one so entrenched in their lives? A soul mate from a previous life? One who's like a thread that's so woven into the tapestry of their lives, that to pull it out meant everything else would unravel?

Realising that she's once again very close to tears, Serena struggled to bear it down. She started walking faster to get back home, keeping her head down all the while. She had gone no more than a dozen steps when Lita hailed her.

"What's wrong Serena? You look so down," her sometimes overprotective brunette friend asked worriedly.

"Is everything okay in School?" Amy enquired, equally concerned.

"No, I'm fine. There's nothing wrong, REALLY." Serena forced a smile to her face. It didn't quite reach her eyes though.

Lita decided not to press the issue "Great! I hate it when you're a mope," she said brightly.

"Yes. You're much more fun when you're happy. Just come to us if you need to talk," says Ami earnestly, trying to cheer her friend up.

"Thanks a lot guys. You really are great friends! I'm really okay." Another forced smile. Another futile attempt at convincing her friends that she is indeed okay.

Before she could say anything else though, a familiar tall handsome raven haired man crossed their path.

"Darien..." his name came softly out of her mouth.

Serena braced herself. _Just be cool. Now I'll just gracefully saunter up to him..._

So she walked towards him, unable to prevent herself from leading with her heart.

Darien stopped, dipped his hands into his pockets, and made himself look at her. He could all but feel her soft delicate arms wrapping themselves around his waist, the press of her warm body against his in her usual greeting. For a moment, just for a moment, he looked every bit as miserable as she felt.

The image of his nightmares played in his mind. His resolve strengthened. _I need to make a clean break. I need to make it quick. She'd be hurt and angry. There's no way to prevent either. But she'd get over it and she'd be **safe**. _His impassive masked came up again, and he started walking away without acknowledging her or her friends.

"Wait Darien!"

In her haste to stop him, Serena fell and scraped her knees. A keening sound, akin to a wounded animal came out of her.

Darien stopped. He ached to pull her into his arms and hold on.

Serena stayed on her knees on the ground. Through a flood of tears, she saw him looking at her. Throwing pride aside, she sought for closure, a reason, a way to get him back.

"Darien. I just don't understand what changed between us. I've thought about it a million times. I can't come up with a reasonable answer. I would even change my Meatball hair if you want me to?!" She begged.

The look on her face, the pain, the despair, etched themselves into his head, on his heart and in his gut.

Abruptly, he turned away and started to walk away again. He couldn't breathe, wasn't certain how much longer he could stand.

"Please Darien, please. Why won't you tell me?" Serena begged feverishly, refusing to give up.

Her shoulders racked with deep choking sobs. "I love you so much." She wept hysterically.

"Why won't you tell me what I did wrong? I'm **_begging_** you. Tell me what I have to change to get you to love me again," she implored brokenly.

Darien couldn't help himself. He turned to look at her.

"No. Don't change Serena. That's not it."

Just as broken hearted, sick to his stomach, he forced himself to walk away.

"Darien, don't leave me."

Serena sobbed out the pain, the grief throbbing in her chest, twisting in her belly. She felt Lita's arms around her, strong and tight. Amy joined them. Saying nothing, she simply hugged Serena from the other side.

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Posted on fanfiction: **14 March 2013**

**A/N:** Hmm... There's not much new there. It's mostly the retelling of a scene in Episode 70. But I have to start somewhere! Well, what do you think? Like it? Hate it? Let me know!

For those following **TOBITF**, the story is still the closest and very dear to my heart and I don't want to ruin it (like ending up killing off the twins!). With big plots everything you write will affect the following chapters and the storyline and I'm too tired to think ahead and too busy to contemplate forcing myself.

I have something big happening this weekend but I'll try and write a chapter after. **You my dear readers get to decide** whether it would be a chapter of **TOBITF **or **CBTM**! The story that gets the more review/favourite/follow (from today to Sunday) will be the one I work on and post next week! *Evil laugh* Misery does love Company! *Another evil laugh*


	2. Heartbreak

**A/N:** To be honest, the latest chapter of **TOBITF'**s had about 20 reviews (WOW!). But since all or most of those reviews were there even before I posted this story; that makes **CBTM** the winner! Hence, I give you '**CBTM (Part 2)'**.

But before that, I'd like to thank those who "favourite" and "follow" this story especially everyone taking the time to review the previous chapter:

**James Birdsong:** Thanks you for all your reviews! (For my completed fictions as well) It means a lot that you took the time! **:) Shaydoe: **Aww...thanks! I'm blushing too! This chapter's dedicated to you as well! (Well, duh! The whole story is dedicated to you!) ;) ** LoveInTheBattleField:** Thank you! Heads up! It's coming! *wink* **devilsangels11287:** Your wish, my command, Captain! LOL. **natashasurgirl:** Thank you for your kind words. *smile* To answer your questions, I don't think my brain is up to the challenge of uprooting all of the enemies in the SM R arc! It's barely functioning as it is! ;) I don't know if you've read my other work but they're all rather simple and straightforward even **TOBITF** which has multiple additional characters and pretty much a plot of its own. I am aware that it is Darien from the future that sent those dreams, but wasn't aware that it was sent because of Rini specifically. Still, I'm hoping to make it work without Rini. I'm afraid I don't really like her. I especially don't like the way she treats Serena! Thank you for giving my story a chance. I hope I don't disappoint you! Hugs for you as well! :) **Moonprincess998:** You're so sweet! Thank you! Here's your update! :)** Guest**: LOL! That still counts as 1 review! And if you're voting for **TOBITF**, shouldn't it be on its pages instead?! *wink* I miss the story too and will get back to it as soon as I can! ;) **mangamania:** Oh thank you! Here's your update! Hope you like. :)

Please note that large portions of the dialogues actually come from Episodes 70 and 62 of the Sailor Moon R Series. Also, I'm writing this with a high fever (Temp's at 39.4 degrees), so do let me know if you spot any typo or discrepancies (via PM please! So I could get back to them and edit when I'm feeling better!) Thanks everyone! ;)

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Come Back to Me (Part 2: Heartbreak)**

_**A few days after the events of Chapter 1**_

"Darien! Darien!" Serena called frantically, rapidly knocking on Darien's apartment door.

The door opened slightly. "Hey, not so loud. Do you know what time it is?"

Offence is often the best defence and surprise and panic had him on the defensive.

"Oh, I'm sorry. But Darien I have something really important to talk to you about," Serena whispered apologetically, her eyes pleading with him.

She was pale, and her cerulean eyes, usually so bright with laughter, were now shadowed with doubt and worry and grief.

Guilt weighed him down and for a moment he hesitated. But the thought of being alone with her scared him. Terrified him half to death because he didn't think he'd be able to stand by his decision.

"Serena, there's nothing to talk about! So please, go home!" Fear had him closing the door.

"Please, tell me if you had a strange dream about us lately?" Her question stopped him.

"Strange dream?" Slowly the door opened again. Hope rose.

Dazed, he listened to her account of the same dream that had been plaguing him for weeks.

"It's the same dream alright."

"It gives me the creeps. But maybe we ate something bad and it gave us a nightmare," she rationalised calmly.

"But it said that you wouldn't survive." He was desperate for her to understand the direness of the situation.

"Oh Darien, I understand now why you were so cold hearted, it was just to protect me from getting hurt, yeah?"

As she stood where she was, watching all the violent emotions flit over his face, the ache in her heart receded.

"I really tried to ignore the nightmares at first but then I kept having the same dream every night. Now I believe it's not just a dream but it actually tells us of our future." He needed for her to know so badly.

Gently, she cupped his face and studied his dark stormy eyes, the colour of turbulent sea, as turbulent as the emotions in them.

"I'm fine. I'm alright. Nothing is going to happen to me," she murmured reassuringly, and gently touched her lips to his.

"No!" he jerked back, shocked at how close she had come to bringing him to his knees.

"Serena we must stay away from each other!" he insisted desperately, trying to push her out the door.

"But Darien, I don't care what happens to me, as long as I can be with you."

Her words had his heart both soaring with love and broken with despair.

He wanted to touch her, _**badly**_ wanted to touch her. But he knew his limitations. If he so much as lay a hand on her long silky golden hair, he would want to touch more, _**have **_to touch more until he was holding her against him and begging. Begging her to convince him to stay. Begging her to forgive him. Begging her to take him back.

So instead, he steeled himself and forced the lies out of his lips. "It's just too hard being with you. It's always one thing or another. I don't want the responsibility."

He almost bit his tongue to stop the next words from coming out. But out they came. "You're not worth it," and shattered both their hearts to pieces.

_**Blasphemy! **_Both his heart and mind screamed at him.

Ignoring both, he pushed her out the door and shut it resolutely behind him.

"Darien! Darien! Darien!" Serena screamed from the outside, knocking madly at the door, crying hysterically, begging him yet again. "Please Darien. Please, don't shut me out of your life. I really don't care what happens to me. I just wanna be with you! Even if the world collapses, I just want us to be together. I love you so much. So much."

Darien leaned against his door and slowly crumpled to the floor. Silent tears ran down his cheeks.

"Oh Serena, why does it have to be this way?" he moaned in despair.

Trying to remember if he ever felt this bad before, he decided other than waking up at the hospital with amnesia, a broken arm and a couple of cracked ribs in a car wreck that took both his parents' lives, and those were _physical pain_, the answer was nothing came close.

He remembered feeling _**nearly**_ exactly this bad, when the doctors had sat him down, so calm, to tell him that he had become an orphan.

"You were in a car accident. Both your parents were badly hurt," they had told him, "We tried our best. But..."

In that moment his world had turned upside down. _So why was this worse somehow?_

"Darien! Darien! Darien!" Her voice continued to plague his sanity, breaking his heart all over again with each desperate cry of his name.

And with each desperate cry of his name, his bleeding shattered heart pleaded_ I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

_**A few days later**_

Serena sat lost in thoughts, barely paying any attention to her friends who were discussing the presence of the new enemies. She had spent the whole night crying again. Heartbroken and ashamed, wondering where her self-respect and pride were that she had to beg Darien yet again even _**after**_ he had told her that she was _**worthless**_.

For the first time in her life, she felt there was no one she could talk to. Each time she felt herself crumbling, needing to run crying to her friends, she yanked herself back.

She could not, _**would not**_ pour out these miseries, these fears and insecurities to the people who loved her. They would stand by her. She didn't doubt it for a minute. But this was a burden she had to carry herself. The _**shame**_ of it had her hoping she could hide it in some dark corner of her mind.

She did wonder though, if they too may see her the way he does. That loyalty and the oath of fealty to the Moon Princess in another lifetime is what kept them to her.

She loves them so much. Almost every bit as much as she loves Darien. She had thought that he loved her. But she had been wrong there. So she wonders.

She couldn't question them though, although the question burned inside her.

She couldn't share the pain with them, though she usually shared _**everything**_ with them.

She decided instead, to suppress, ignore and forget. That, she believed, would be best for everyone.

The noise of a roaring engine broke her reverie, disrupted her train of thoughts.

"I can't hear myself think!" she grumbled. "Stop that racket!" frustration had her raising her voice.

Frowning, she looked up to the source of her annoyance. The flush that frustration brought died until her cheeks were bone-white. Shuddering, she closed her eyes, clutched her fists tight by her sides and prayed that it was just her imagination.

"Darien!" she couldn't stop the words from coming out, nor could she stop her feet from walking towards him.

And there he sat on his bike with a beautiful brunette whose arms were wrapped tightly around him, laughing happily.

She could feel a sob bubbling in her chest. _He's got a new _**_girlfriend?_** The idea made her cold inside.

"Darien! Darien, who is this girl? She's a cousin of yours right? Or some other relative, isn't she?" jolted with panic, her voice caught helplessly.

Darien stared at her impassively. And then a sneer formed on his face.

"Since when do I have to report in and tell you who all my friends are? Get a life Serena!" he scorned her maliciously.

Turning to the brunette behind him, his tone and expression gentled. "Hold on tight okay? We're out of here!"

"Who is she?" the brunette asked, curious. "Darien!" she insisted when no answer came from the raven haired man.

"Just some girl I know," he finally answered, dismissing Serena completely.

Without a backward glance at her, he took off.

"I'm just some girl" Serena murmured quietly, the emotions welling up inside of her threatening to choke her as her gaze that was fixed on his disappearing figure slowly blurred with tears.

And on his bike, Darien's own unshed tears were clouding his vision. "Serena, until I find out what that dream means, it's got to be this way. I'm sorry. It's killing me too."

_**The following day**_

Entering the arcade to meet her friends, Serena's whole body snapped into rigidity at the sight of Darien sitting on the stool at the counter with the beautiful brunette from the day before, chatting amiably to Andrew.

His dark head was thrown back as he laughed at something being said. Her heart pounded uncontrollably as her gaze took in his handsome, tanned features. It ached at every painfully familiar thing about him. And then she noticed the girl's hand resting familiarly on his sleeve, something only she was ever privileged of before. Anguish poured through her veins like hot acid. Her every breath hurt. _How is it even possible? How could the vital act of breathing be so painful? _She thought desperately.

Pride made her steel herself. Although she was crumbling into a thousand pieces inside, she raised her chin and forced a smile on her face.

"Hey there Andrew!" she said cheerfully, sauntering over to the threesome in all pretence of cheeriness.

"Hey Serena!" Andrew gave her a one arm hug over the counter. "The usual?" he asked with twinkling eyes.

Somehow the sight of the meatball headed beauty he'd come to regard as a little sister never fails to brighten up his day.

Serena nodded and tilted her head slightly to Darien in greeting, "Darien."

"Serena," his response was just as terse.

Looking from Darien to Serena and back again, Andrew pouted in confusion. _What are you doing Dare? Who are you trying to fool? We both **know** that you **still** love her!_

Putting the matter aside though, he gave Serena another bright smile before motioning over to the beautiful brunette.

Serena slowly turned toward her, a bright expectant smile on her face.

"This is my little sister, Elizabeth. She just got back from studying abroad. Student's exchange program for a year. Now she's back for good!" Andrew introduced promptly, pride and happiness shining on his face.

He then turned to his sister "This is Serena. She's like a little sister to me. I haven't yet decided which one of you is my favourite sister!" He beamed cheekily.

Elizabeth laughed good-naturedly. Small talk followed. Serena made an effort to be friendly and stay cheerful but Darien's persistent ignorance of her and full attentiveness towards Elizabeth slowly began to claw at her. The pain was beginning to seep back through her like a steady ache, intensifying with each moment.

"Hey girl! Are you ignoring us?" Arms wrapped around her, hugging her briefly, dragging Serena back from the abyss of sorrow she was about to drown in. Serena clung to the familiar comfort, held on for a moment, composing herself before letting go and forcing a laugh. She looked up into Mina's understanding laughing blue eyes gratefully.

"No, not at all. I was just about to go join you girls!" she said, relief in her heart at the excuse to leave.

She took her milkshake, said her goodbyes to Andrew and Elizabeth and with the last remaining ounce of her vanishing poise, she raised her cerulean blue eyes to Darien's inscrutable features, looking deep into his azure eyes, memorising, remembering, _**longing**_. Her lips formed into a grim line, she nodded her goodbye to him and with Mina in tow, she turned around to go to her usual booth where her other friends sat waiting for her.

She missed the desolation and the same helpless yearning that she felt, clearly mirrored on his face.

_**Three weeks later**_

Serena ordered herself to get out of bed, to stop lying there feeling sorry for herself. Instead, she hugged a pillow close and stared at the ceiling which to her is a shadowy void as dismal as her heart. _How hard would it be?_ She wondered. _To stay here. Simply stay here forever. To just drift and forget everything? To just disappear... _

In the weeks that followed the introduction, Darien spent more and more time with the beautiful brunette that Serena and the girls now came close enough to address as 'Lizzie'. Since Darien's not one to give any girl time of day with the exception of Serena, everyone barring Darien himself, Elizabeth and Andrew, was under the impression that he was happy and serious with her. It made it harder for Serena because she actually liked Lizzie and could see why Darien would be attracted to her. She couldn't bear to be so close to him, to love him as she did and to watch him with another girl. So day by day, her heart would break just a little bit more and day by day, her hope dimmed.

But being her, and not wanting to worry her friends and family or put Andrew on the spot, she put on a brave front and got through those weeks and the following days. She went to the arcade, met with her friends, went out with Molly and Melvin, attended scouts meetings and fought Rubeus, the Ayakashi Sisters and their droids. Tuxedo Mask no longer made an appearance, crushing her hope even further.

Every night she would bury her face in her pillow and wept. And wept. And when the weeping was done, she'd take the pills she had procured for the now constant headache and more for the burning in her stomach. And then she'd go back to bed to cry herself to sleep.

Every morning, she would wake up, dry her tears, paste a smile on her face and got through the day with it remaining intact. She ended each day with exhausted satisfaction that she had managed to treat Darien with a perfect combination of impersonal friendliness and smiling disregard. No reproach, no justifiable indignation simply because he had stopped loving her and had so obviously moved on.

Every time they were at the arcade at the same time, she'd scrupulously avoid looking in his direction, except the occasional greetings which usually consisted of one word or a mere tilt of the head. Several times she would accidentally turned his way and caught his piercing gaze and each time, she'd forced herself to give him the casual smile before nonchalantly looking right pass him as if she were in search of someone else, as if she couldn't care less. _He's probably amazed by my attitude._ She often thought.

She lived and worked. She ate and talked. She laughed and died a little each day.

And even though there was a void inside her that nothing seemed able to fill, even though her heart felt like it would never heal, she forgave him, and continued to love.

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Posted on fanfiction: **18 March 2013**

**A/N:** Hmm... I decided to stick close to the anime whilst adding **_small_** twist of my own. Like I said, dialogues from Episodes 62 and 70 were used, but their sequences have been altered. I think my main contribution is/will be more towards the emotional input rather than the storyline. We didn't get to see much of Darien's pain or the Scouts playing supportive friends in the anime. Nor did we see him explaining/atoning for the pain he caused her. Those are the elements that I want to add in.

But, what do you think of the story so far? Is it to your liking? Do you hate it? Do **_please REVIEW_** and let me know! :)

As for **TOBITF**, I was kind of relieved that it didn't win and I had to write this chapter instead. I love that story but am too tired to work on it. **TOBITF **chapters are longer than **CBTM** after all. Also, I really am scared I might ruin it! But for my loyal readers, I'll try and write Chapter 12: **Mother & Sons** and have it posted by this weekend. Wish me luck! ;)


	3. Letting Go

**A/N:** Hi Everyone! I'm afraid I'm still under the weather. And with my being sick, my workload is piling up as well. So I'll apologise in advance for any typo and will come back to fix it should the need arise. This chapter is mostly the retelling of a scene in Episode 62. As I've mentioned before, I think my main contribution is on the emotional element rather than the storyline.

I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to review the previous chapter. A few long reviews this time! ;)

**Moonprincess998: **Thanks! I'm afraid things will get worse before they get better, but not much longer! :) **adoore: **I'm glad! ;) Continuing with the story... **BlueMoon: **LOL. I'm big on women being strong and independent as well! I agree with you Serena needs to be strong, both emotionally and mentally, and **_she is_**. At least I hope I've managed to portray her that way. But **_because_** she is, I don't see her going to other guys. I think Serena's greatest strength is her loyalty and compassion. Her love for Darien is strong and I don't see Serena as turning away from that love. I don't see her giving up on her life either. I think she's too strong of mind and heart for that. I can't tell you too much without giving the story away but I hope you won't be disappointed! :) **natashasurgirl:** Thanks for mentioning the spelling mistakes! ;) In all fairness though, I did warn my readers in the A/N prior to the chapter (I wrote it with a temp of 39.4 degrees) and none of it appeared on spell check. I was too sick to get back to it and **Shaydoe** the treasure that she is, proofread it for me and found a couple of 's', an 'a', and an 'of' missing along with two other grammatical errors. They've all been corrected. As for the mixed episodes, that was done on purpose. I think ff was created so that fans can expand on existing storyline or rewrite or alter scenes based on their fancies. So that was just me using an author's prerogative and asserting my creative licence. Again, the alteration to the sequences was mentioned in my A/N. The fairytale sleep/kiss scene will unfold in this chapter. Again I hope you won't be disappointed! Hugs! :) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Coming your way! ;) ** Guest:** My late grandmother taught me to give people the benefit of doubt. I guess that's what I'm choosing to do here. I don't know which one of you is right, but since whether or not Rini is the sole reason for the dreams doesn't really pertain to my story, it doesn't really matter. It could all be subject to interpretation anyway. It really makes no difference. That said, I really appreciate your support and encouraging words and hope I could count on them in the future as well! And I like your advice, I **_will_** write my fic **_my_** way! ;) **mangamania: **Awww.. I'm sorry I made you cry! At the same time (from a writer's POV only) I'm also glad I made you cry! Because that means I managed to get you to share her pain... Lita & other Scouts will definitely have something to say, but in the next chapter, not in this one. Stay tuned! :) **trish1573: **Wow! What a nice thing to say. Thanks so much for your vote of confidence! I hope I do it justice! :)

And last, but definitely not least, **Shaydoe:** Thanks so much for your support (and for going through my previous chapter for mistakes) You REALLY are the silver lining to that negative review in **LMSY**! I'm so truly glad and grateful that I got to meet you on ff! This story, as you well know, is for you... (even though you totally deserve a better story than this!)

Alright then, on to the next chapter: '**CBTM (Part 3)'**. Enjoy!

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Come Back to Me (Part 3: Letting Go)**

"Go to sleep. Go to sleep. You must rest forever," a blue haired droid with a unicorn-like horn was hovering above Sailor Moon, a beam of energy coming out of its horn, enveloping the blonde Scout. Slowly, Sailor Moon crumpled to the ground, falling into a blissful sleep, the first one she's had since Darien broke up with her.

A sharp loud crack of thunder followed the bolt of lightning headed towards the droid 'Hypnotica'.

Four powerful Scouts jumped in and surrounded the droid. Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury stood, feet braced apart, arms on defence.

Undeterred, Hypnotica simply floated above them, the same beam of energy that hit Sailor Moon aimed towards the Scouts, enveloping them "You're getting sleepy."

Luna fought the heaviness that she was feeling "Don't listen to her girls. She's trying to hypnotise you. You **_must_** resist her. You **_cannot_** let yourself fall asleep," she forced out, desperately trying to get through to her wards.

Still undaunted, Hypnotica continued "Go to sleep. Go to sleep. You must rest forever."

One by one, the Scouts were brought to their knees.

Sailor Mars squinted at the droid through the beam of energy. Her resolve strengthened, she slowly forced herself to stand up again. "I call upon the power of Mars! Fireballs...Charge!"

Hypnotica disappeared in a whirl of black and green smoke.

Sailor Mercury turned to Sailor Mars in awe and appreciation, "Cool move Sailor Mars! I was in trouble big time!"

Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter hurried over to their fallen leader and Sailor Venus cradled her in her arms, "Hey come on Sailor Moon, wake up," she said gently. There was no mistaking the love and affection in her voice.

The black and green smoke reappeared. Blue demonic eyes shined through it. "Not likely. She's dreaming. She's running out of energy. She'll fall asleep forever. Except there's no waking from this dream," Hypnotica said smugly.

Before any of the Scouts could so much as blink, the puff of smoke rushed into Sailor Moon's mouth.

"Stop!" the Scouts shouted simultaneously.

Too late. Sailor Moon's colour was completely drained.

"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars screamed in horror.

"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Venus echoed. For a moment, her entire being was enveloped by a feeling of loneliness and terror beyond anything. This isn't just her princess, but also her best friend.

"Wake up! You've got to wake up!" Sailor Jupiter was so frightened, her words were jumbled. Desperately, she shook her best friend's body. "Come on! Wake up!" she pleaded, frantically searching her friend's ashen face for any sign that she's being heard.

"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Venus wouldn't, **_couldn't_** give up.

"Don't go to sleep!" Sailor Mars's fierce command belied her heart that's hammering in mounting fear.

Sailor Jupiter punched the ground in her frustration.

Sailor Mercury's eyes widened in alarm, "Her energy is leaving her body. If we don't find a way to stop it we won't be able to wake her up!" Beside herself with fear, she begged her best friend, her first true friend, "Oh can't you hear us?"

Sailor Venus was begging too. "Wake up Sailor Moon!" she pleaded desperately, still shaking Sailor Moon's limp body in a futile attempt to wake her up.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Sailor Jupiter screamed hysterically.

Sailor Mercury shuddered with alarm, "I'm afraid she's leaving us!" her voice full of hopeless urgency.

Luna looked on desolately. In her mind's eye, she saw Serena crying in her sleep for Darien. Resolutely, she turned and scampered away, going as fast as her legs would allow her, leaping determinedly between buildings to get to her destination.

She jumped onto Darien's stomach, waking him up from a very fitful sleep filled with nightmares of Serena's demise.

"Darien, you have to come with me. Sailor Moon is in great danger. She's falling into an eternal sleep and you've got to come wake her up!" she said urgently.

Darien was still. His mouth was set and cold. Terror and dread filled him. Everything in him, his every instinct, his very heart and soul, screamed for him to go to his princess, demanded that he save her. But the insistent voice in his nightmares warning him to keep his distance from her to keep her alive kept ringing in his ear, playing in his mind.

"But I can't do it," he said firmly, turning away from the black cat, but not before she saw the indecision flickered across his hard features.

She ignored his words and was sorry for the bitterness underneath it. She didn't understand what was going on but knew without a shadow of a doubt that the prince still loves his princess.

"I **_know_** you still care about her. So why must you continue to avoid her?" she asked exasperatedly, completely bewildered.

"Because..." he began to answer desperately but she wouldn't let him finish.

She's not about to waste precious minutes when her charge is battling between life and death. "She's running out of time! Go to her!" Her command brooked no argument.

"Hold on Serena! You can't leave me!" Darien shouted as his motorcycle raced to get him to his love, transforming into Tuxedo Mask along the way.

Back to where the Scouts were, Sailor Venus was in tears. "Wake up Sailor Moon," she pleaded. "Please wake up. Oh, come on, please. Oh please Serena," despairingly she shook the girl in her arms.

Sailor Jupiter was clearly anguished. "Oh Serena! How can we get through to you?!" she desperately called out.

Sailor Mercury who was sitting on the ground, her face close to Sailor Moon's legs suddenly gasped, "Sailor Moon!" She turned to the other scouts, exclaiming agitatedly, "Her temperature's dropped drastically!"

Sailor Mars didn't say anything. She **_couldn't_** say anything. Instead, she watched on, tears running down her face.

The sound of squealing tires and the bright light that suddenly permeated the darkness temporarily stole their attention from their waning friend.

"Tuxedo Mask!"

The masked hero hurried over to his love, immediately cradling her in his arms. Blind terror and panic had him shaking her, "Sailor Moon! Wake up! Can't you hear me?"

She was fading right in front of his eyes. He fought back the panic and fear and placed a trembling finger on the pulse of her throat. It was barely there. A vision of her being torn away from him flashed through his mind.

He held her closer to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck and whispered desolately, "Serena, please forgive me," and in his mind, he heard her calling his name, full of love.

He was rarely a fanciful man but the sight of her made him think of the fairy tales, the enchanted princess and the magic of a kiss.

So he bent over her, brushed the hair from her face, and laid his lips on hers.

She woke slowly, as princesses in fairy tales do. Her lashes fluttered open, her body temperature increases, and her cheeks slowly tinted with rose.

"Darien? I feel warm." The murmured words that escaped her lips were music to his ears.

"I'm so glad, Serena," he answered softly, weak with relief. And then he broke. Just broke. Shuddering, he buried his face in her hair, fought to find his breath. "I thought you were dead." The words were gasped out.

Darien couldn't help it. He did what he had been longing to do. He kissed her and for a moment allowed himself to bask in the familiar feel of her. For a moment, he sank out of terror and despair into blissful oblivion. All the love that was from their past life was in that kiss. So was all the love that had accumulated through the years of his lonely childhood. Serena felt them and opened her lips willingly for his searching tongue, her delicate hand sliding through the hair at his nape. With unselfish ardour, she kissed him back with her whole heart, offered it all to him and just for a moment, Darien allowed himself to take what was given to him. He took the love that was offered hungrily, feeling it moved from her to him, flowing through his veins and mingling with his love for her, until the joy of it became almost unbearable. _She_ was **_everything_**.

"How rude of you to interrupt her sleep 'Cape Boy'!" Hypnotica wouldn't be deterred by the turn of event. She pulled her horn out, which turned into a sword and aimed at Darien.

"Look out!" Serena shouted, pushing Darien out of the way.

"How dare you attack my guy! I'm the one you want! So come on Nega trash! Let's rumble!"

She took out her moon sceptre and "Moon...Sceptre...Elimination!"

Hypnotica dissolved into a pile of sand, a black gemstone with an upside down moon insignia dropped onto its surface. Both slowly faded away.

"Sailor Moon, amazing job. I'm really glad you are alright again," Darien had regained his control. The facade of cool indifference was back on his face.

"Darien, I just knew in my heart you still love me."

"Serena...But I...I **_don't _**love you."

Emotions swirled and tightened and threatened to strangle him. He could barely get the words out. "Believe me."

She hadn't known how completely a heart could shatter. She had thought she knew. When he had broken up with her, Serena had been certain that she would never grieve in quite the same way again. _I was right_. She thought now and pressed both hands to the ache in her heart. _This is worse. **How** can it be worse?!_

Darien tried to swallow. Found that he couldn't. Choked by grief and despair, his stomach churned. And still, he made himself say the words, to give her the closure he thought she needed. "Our love is like a rose, beautiful when it's in bloom but it can't last forever," he said quietly, firmly.

Her breath caught with a jerk of a heartbeat at his words. She would breathe, she told herself. However tight the fist was around her heart, she would breathe, slow, deep breaths. A close brush with death had shown her that she could indeed survive anything. Even Darien Shields, her prince, her love, her soul mate.

Slowly, her hands lifted, rubbed away the tears that she hadn't even been aware of shedding. She wanted to see him clearly, since it would probably be the last time that she'd allow herself to. He looked handsome as always, solemn, dangerous. He was, she thought, **_everything_**_._

"I love you Darien. I love you so much. So much. Enough to let you go. I just want you to be happy. Even if it **_is_** without me." She looked like a heartbroken angel courageously facing her adversary, her voice shaking with love. "You said you don't want the responsibility. I know you care. Care enough to worry about me and my well being. So here's my promise to you. I **_will_** be okay. You don't have to worry that I'll stop living my life because of you. You don't have to worry that I'll do anything stupid. I'll take care of myself. I'll live, even if I have to live without you. I promise you I will."

Even as her world reeled and her heart bled, Serena maintained her stance. Amy was sobbing in Raye's arms and even with the tears trickling down her cheeks, Lita looked ready to kill someone. And Mina, Mina wrapped her arms around Serena in a supportive hug, her voice choked with sorrow."That's enough Rena. Let's go home," she whispered soothingly between tears of her own.

Serena scarcely knew she was being consoled. The pain was so great, she felt completely numb. But she pulled herself out of Mina's embrace and continued to face Darien, tears shimmering in her magnificent cerulean eyes, some traced unheeded down her smooth cheeks.

The sight of her almost brought him to his knees.

With a raw ache in her voice, she continued as she wrapped her arms around herself. "But I can't **_have you_** in my life and **_not_** love you. I can't **_be_** in your life and **_not_** love you. I wouldn't know how. So, I will stay away and I need **_you_** to stay away too."

Darien looked on, despising himself with a virulence that was almost past bearing. He gave her an almost imperceptible nod in agreement to her request. Self loathing poured through him like hot acid, almost doubling him over. It took every ounce of his last will power to maintain the appearance of apathy.

All hope died inside of her with his indifference. And with its death came a blessed numbness, a sort of acceptance.

"Good bye Darien," she whispered, memorising his features one last time before detransforming and turning on her heel. Without thinking about where she was going, she automatically walked towards home. Her friends and cat guardian not far behind her.

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **25 March 2013**

**A/N:** Hmm... How was that? Bad? Good? Let me know! I've written the ending to this story (Darien's turn to beg!) but not the rest of the chapter. I don't think it will contain anymore scenes from the series though. What it will contain is Lita's Loyalty & Lashing, Mina's Mutiny & Meddling, Raye's Resentment & Regret and Amy's Anxiety & Advice! I don't know if I'll be able to fit them into one chapter, so there might be two more chapters of this story. So, review/favourite/follow to let me know that you'd like to know what happens next, and...I'll start writing! *Another evil laugh*

For **TOBITF** follower, I will **_try _**to post Chapter 12: **Mother & Sons** within the next 48 hours. **_Try_** being the operative word as I am still unwell, still busy and still afraid I might ruin the story!


	4. Concerned Friends (a): Mina's Mutiny

**A/N: **Oh wow! It's been too long! I'm sorry for the long wait and truly hope I still have readers sticking with this story! I have been ill and busy and am still very busy but as promised, I won't give up on any of my stories. The chapter **Concerned Friends** was supposed to consist of four separate Serena/Scout moments in **_one_** chapter but this would make the chapter too long and would take too long to complete and edit if I were to combine all four moments. Hence, here I am posting the first part of the chapter.

I'd like to thank those who "favourite" and "follow" this story especially everyone taking the time to review the previous chapter:

**trish1573: **It truly is an honour that you have so much faith in me and takes pleasure in my writing! I hope you are well and taking good care of yourself. Don't work too hard and make yourself sick again! :) **mangamania: **LOL. I think Lita will do the punching instead but that will be in the upcoming chapter! ;) **Shaydoe: **Thanks Shay! More Usagi for this chapter and Darien for the next chapter! :) **Moonprincess998: **Wow thanks! I wasn't sure if I'd be able to write angst really well. But if you can feel their pain, I guess I'm not doing so bad! Thanks again! :) **freakblueangel: **He will beg! Not this chapter though. I do think he's worthy of her, it takes strength to let go of someone you love. Although, in this case, I really think he should've trusted her to decide with him. What can we say? Love makes a fool out of some! :) **L and misa for eternity:** Oh thank you! Here's your update! Enjoy! ;) **Guest: **I know it's sad but I can promise a happy ending! ;) **lostinshanghai:** LOL. I'm glad you like my version. Thanks! :) **Princess Eternal:** The writer in me is glad that you're in tears! LOL. Here's more and thanks for reviewing! :) **AimlesslyGera:** I know what you mean! These are two of my favourite SM episodes too! :) **Guest: **I don't really know what to say except: Thanks! Your review and support means a lot! ;) **bunny88rosemagic: **LOL. I thought you'd be reading one of my favourites rather than one of mine! But I do hope they made you feel better or at least served as a distraction from your discomfort. Get well soon! :)

Alright then, without further ado, I give you the first part of '**CBTM (Part 4)'** titled **Concerned Friends: Mina's Mutiny**

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

* * *

**Come Back to Me (Part 4(a): Concerned Friends: Mina's Mutiny)**

Andrew walked around the counter and sat on the stool next to Serena. "But I'll miss you," he grumbled.

Serena got up and wrapped her arms around his neck from his side, resting her chin on the top of his head. "We'll see each other," she promised and turned her head so that her cheek rested on his hair.

Andrew let out a long sigh, reached up and closed a hand around hers. That's how Darien saw them when he opened the door, the two people he loved more than anyone, holding on to each other, traces of sorrow marring both faces. And when both instinctively turned to look up at him, he saw the beam of blame shoot out of Andrew's eyes even as the shutters closed down on Serena's and felt the slice through his heart.

Serena tightened her grip on Andrew for a moment before letting go. "Well, I'd best be going now. I love you Andrew," she said, kissing his cheek, surprised that she didn't stumble on her way to the door, the way her heart was pounding and her knees were shaking.

Andrew turned on Darien angrily. "Serena was just letting me know that she's not going to be coming by the arcade for awhile. I haven't seen her in _two weeks_ and she came in to tell me she _won't be coming anymore_. Any guess on the reason why?" he snarled sarcastically which is very uncharacteristic for him. But given the circumstances...

Darien quirked a brow and even though bitterness lodged in his throat, he managed to keep his voice even, "She's a free agent. She can go wherever she wants." Calmly, he sat himself on the stool in front of the counter.

Andrew exploded. "The _hell_ she is! She belongs _with you_! I don't know what the heck happened to you or what train wreck hit your head, but breaking her heart _Darien_? That's cold, even for you!" With that said, the ever genial blond stomped his way back to behind the counter in a rare display of temper.

A muscle worked in Darien's jaw. His stomach twisted and his hands clenched. When Andrew went into the kitchen, no doubt to calm himself, Darien's composure slipped and he raked his hands up over his face before letting them dropped on the counter. When he saw her, emotions had warred through him. Guilt for the pain he knew he caused, _she's lost weight_, he thought and hated himself. But he also felt relief and enormous pride for the strength he saw in her and most of all, sorrow and fury for the fact they can't be together. _I miss you so much_, his heart sighed.

As for Serena, once she was alone again, she simply backed herself to a wall, braced her elbows on her thighs and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. _Breathe_, she commanded herself and bore down on the ache that centred in her heart. Standing up straight again, she took a deep breath, determined to keep her promise to him, resolved to keep whatever pride she has left and more importantly, protect her friends from worrying about her. Forcing a smile onto her face, she marched her way to the mall to meet Mina.

Mina stared at Serena in hopeless anger, not certain why Serena's attitude so upset her. Serena's smile was still in place, she looked completely fresh and immaculate, and, except for a dramatic loss of weight, she looked like a girl who was in control of a reasonably satisfactory life.

The two of them had been shopping for the last three hours and Serena had been laughing and was as amiable as ever. Except when you look closely into her eyes. _Anyone_ who _has _looked closely into those eyes before would see that the shine that was usually there like a second skin, now lacked its luster. And Mina has looked into those eyes countless number of times and she is **_livid_**.

"I wish you'd stop acting as if everything is normal!" she snapped out.

"What would you have me do?" Serena replied calmly. "If you're waiting for me to rant and weep, you're wasting your time."

"I want you to talk to me! I want to know what's going on in your head, and in your heart!" She stopped walking, turned to face her best friend, dropped her shopping bags on the ground and slapped her hands to her hips. "You're not happy," she declared.

Serena shifted her feet, rolled her eyes. "Of course I am," she insisted.

Mina shook her head vehemently, "No you're not. And worse, you don't think you're **_ever_** going to be again. Not _'deep-down-in-the-gut'_ happy." And **_that_** is what was tearing at her heart.

The thought that her best friend who happened to be the most optimistic person she knows, who loved life, found beauty in anything and anyone, to whom laughter is like a second nature, for **_Serena_** to be in despair, to **_not _**believe that she'll ever be happy again, twisted her gut and sliced her heart.

"I know you're hurting, Rena," she said it quietly now. Lifting her chin, she continued stubbornly, "I'm not moving from this spot until you talk to me!"

Serena studied her friend. One who looked so much like her, and had the sudden urge to laugh. With a chuckle, she gave Mina a hug, picked up the shopping bags and started to pull her friend to a less crowded area of the mall.

Once relatively alone, she sighed, "I'm not hurting. I'm numb. I'm going to stay numb for as long as I can."

Gently she grabbed both Mina's hands, looking up at her friend with pleading eyes, "There are people out there that needs me. They need Sailor Moon to protect them. I don't have a choice but to stay strong, do I?"

There was both sympathy and patience in Mina's voice now, "But that doesn't mean you have to go through this alone. You **_have_** us. You **_have_** me. Talk to me, Rena," she pleaded, gripping the hands that held hers, almost desperate in her need to help.

Because her hands were unsteady, Serena let go of Mina's hands, tried to link hers together, found them damp and let out another sigh and lowered herself to a nearby bench. "Dreams," she muttered.

"Huh?" Mina looked down, waiting for an explanation. When Serena said nothing, she sighed and lowered herself next to her on the bench. "Serena, I know what's between you and Darien. Even without my powers, even without being the Scout of Love, I can **_feel_** what's between the two of you when I'm within ten feet of you. He still loves you, and you, him. So what happened?"

With no comeback, Serena kept her mouth shut, unsettled and restless inside. Suddenly weary, she leaned forward and rested both her arms on her knees.

But just like Serena would not have given up on her, Mina persisted, "Since the break up, you've been stepping behind this line that only you can cross and lately, you've stepped over it more often. I'm so scared that we are going to lose you."

Not wanting to see the look in Mina's eyes but **_needing_** to know, Serena leaned back and closed her eyes and asked just loudly enough for Mina to hear her, "Would it matter? Would you care?"

"What?! What kind of question is that?" Mina jumped up, all five feet seven inches of raging fury rounded on the Moon Princess. "What kind of question is that?!" She asked again, bafflement and hurt clouded the anger.

Serena opened her eyes. Deliberately calm, she looked steadily up at the leader of her Senshi. "It's a question that I need an answer to. Rather, I know you'd say 'yes'. I **_know_** you care. So I guess my question is, **_who_** is it exactly that you are so afraid of losing? Serenity? Sailor Moon? Or Serena?" she asked.

Mina was stumped. For a moment she squeezed her eyes shut. She's unbelievably hurt by the question and it showed in her eyes when she opened them, shook in her voice when she asked, "How could you ask that? How could you not know?"

"How could I not?" Frustrated, Serena's hands fisted by her side, pain and insecurity making their way to the surface and she was too tired to fight them, too heartbroken. "He said he loved me. I believed him! But look how that turned out! He broke my heart Mina. I don't think I'll survive another blow. But I need to know, because I wonder, I wonder if it's the same with you girls. I **_know _**you love me but I _wonder_ and _forgive me_, _oh **do** forgive me for this_, but I wonder if the loyalty and the oath of fealty to the Moon Princess in another lifetime is what kept you girls to me."

It was the despair in her friend's eyes that pushed Mina's anger and hurt aside. "Oh Serena, do you know, oh, if only you know just how much you mean to me," her vision wavered with tears and she found she had to sit. Instead, she kneeled in front of her princess, her _best friend_ and grasped both small hands in hers, looking up through her tears and fervently tried to push that despair away from her friend's eyes, "Before you, I only had Artemis. But he's an advisor, a father figure and as much as he tried, he couldn't really relate to a teenage girl, could he? And then we met and you loved me _instantly_. No questions, no judgment. You just accepted me and loved me. Do you know what that was like? I finally had a friend. One I can talk to, laugh and cry and argue with, someone to listen to my ramblings, my worries and my dreams. More, I finally had a friend whose loyalty and love I need not doubt, whom I could trust without hesitation. One I'd die for and **_know_** would die for me. **_You_** are my most precious treasure," she declared wholeheartedly.

Bubbles of relief warred against flickers of guilt. "I love you so much, Mina."

The words and the simple emotion in them neatly sliced away at any remnants of anger and hurt Mina might've had.

Wiping the tears on her cheeks, she took a deep breath and brushed the dirt on her jeans before once again settling herself next to Serena on the bench. "Good. Because I love you too. Now tell me what happened," she insisted.

Serena pressed her lips together, "He was having dreams. Nightmares..." Serena's voice trailed off.

"And?" Mina prodded.

"I had the same one too. Just once. But apparently he had it for weeks. We were getting married. And then...I died."

Mina's brows creased. "You died?"

Serena nodded and wearily pressed her fingers to her eyes. "There's a voice in the background that said if he were to stay with me, that's what would happen, that I'd die if he doesn't stay away from me. If he remained with me, I wouldn't survive, the voice said." Shamed now, Serena lowered her eyes. "He broke up with me because he didn't want the responsibility. He said...he said that I'm not worth the trouble," the grief of it trembled in her voice like tears.

Mina's eyes fired. "He broke up with you over a **_dream_**?" she hissed.

All but shaking with fury, she stood up again, "That _idiot_! How **_dare_** he break your heart over a dream! What absolute rubbish! Of all the **_stupid_**,** _selfish_** things..."

Serena grabbed Mina's hand to stop her pacing, "There is no point in this. No point in casting blame and in recrimination. He didn't love me enough Mina. But he did **_care_** enough," she said, the tears that are in her eyes refused to fall, she wouldn't give it the satisfaction.

Every muscle in her body tingling with suppressed anger, Mina looked down at Serena, "Love isn't a light switch that you can turn on and off at a whim, you know that. It's **_not_**," she insisted. Whatever Serena may have chosen to believe or however Darien chose to act, every instinct in every bones in her body told her that Darien is every bit as in love with Serena as she is with him. _Just stupid and idiotic and **male** and since he knows her better than anyone, he knew exactly which button to press on to push her away_, she thought heatedly. She was torn between sympathy and anger and admiration for the Earth Prince. But looking down at Serena's dejected form, anger won hands down.

"But I have to. I have to lock this love away. I'm afraid if I don't, I **_won't_** survive the pain."

The statement, the quite truth in it made Mina's own heart ache. "You loved him **_that_** much?"

"Yes. And I still do. And I always will," _It hurts_, Serena thought, _to even say it_. She sighed. _I have no barriers, no defence where he's concerned._

Mina said nothing. _This isn't over. Shields** will **answer for his action_, she thought. Sitting down yet again, she slipped her arms around her heartbroken friend and drew her close. Slowly, Serena let her guard down and let her head rests on her friend's shoulder.

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **20 May 2013**

**A/N:** Well, how was that? To be honest, it didn't turn out _quite_ the way I initially planned. I wrote each 'Serena/Scout' moment separately, in whatever spare times I had in between my busy schedule. There were no snippets in my head and way too many distractions. I did my best though.

So, next up will be **Concerned Friends: Lita's Loyalty**. I hope it won't take me too long to post it as I've already written half of it. But, we'll see. I might even combine Lita's chapter with Raye's. Do review and let me know what you think of this particular 'Serena/Scout' moment! ;)


	5. Concerned Friends (b): Lita's Loyalty

**A/N:** Only 3 days since my last update! I hope that makes up for my absence in the whole of April and about half of May! As previously mentioned, **Concerned Friends** was supposed to consist of four separate 'Serena/Scout' moments in **_one_** chapter but each of the moment (that I've written) got too long and I decided to post them separately instead.

Thanks ever so much to everyone who took the time to review the previous chapter as well as those who 'favourite' and/or 'follow' this story.

**bunny88rosemagic: **LOL. The stories are wonderful though, aren't they? Should check out the author's list as well! I'm well enough now, just busy. Hope you feel better soon! ;) **AimlesslyGera:** Thanks! I know what you mean about Andrew. Unfortunately I do that to him in one of my other fiction (**TOBITF**) too. I didn't forget per se, more like there are too many characters in that story that his role had to be minimised. Well, he'll have more roles to play in this fic! :) **James Birdsong: **Thanks! ;) Alright, here we go! Enjoy! **LoveInTheBattleField:** I know and I'm sorry for it! It couldn't be helped. I wish I could say it won't happen again but I tend not to make promises I can't keep. I have work and studies to juggle and neither my work nor my studies involved creative writing which bumps it low on the list of priorities when the need to prioritise arise. I _am _sorry though. Truly! Hope this early update somewhat makes up for it! ;) **Shaydoe: **Wow! Thanks Shay! Now I'm the one who's blushing! :) I really hope this story is worthy of you...**Kera69love:** Thank you! Here's your update! Enjoy! ;) **trish1573: **I'm really glad I got you to smile and got to be a part of your great day! You made me smile too! Thanks! And seriously, take care! :) **Moonprincess998: **Thanks! I'm glad you think so! I've actually written the 'get back together' part. Just not these chapters in between! But I promise a happy ending! ;) **Infinity 4 3ver: **Thanks! I'm glad! I hate a heartbroken Serena too! But she's strong, of mind, heart and will. She'll pull through! ;) **Guest:** I'm glad my writing touched your heart! What a beautiful compliment! Thanks! :)

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Come Back to Me (Part 4(b): Concerned Friends: Lita's Loyalty)**

Over the course of the past several weeks, Serena discovered that moving on is something that she had to do **_every day_**, _over and over again_. The grief came in waves. Sometimes hard and rough that struck her heart like a fist, and other times slow and drowning which engulfed her in quiet sorrow.

But she also discovered that physical exertion is a good way to block the emotional distress. Hence, the new routine of jogging followed by combat training with Lita or Raye every weekend. The rigorous physical training was such that she had taken to sleeping at the shrine every weekend as well.

Keeping her mind blank, she started her solitary jog around the park. _You can run_, she thought with desperation, _but you can't hide_. Her heart was pumping hard but today, her emotions were fragile as glass.

By the time she reached the secluded area near the shrine for the training session with Lita, she had managed to work up a satisfactory sweat.

Lita raised a brow and studied Serena with cautious, appraising eyes. She didn't think that Serena realised that the sweat from her workout had melted the powder she usually used to hide the pallor of her complexion and the shadows under her eyes so that she stood pale as death, her cerulean eyes dark and glazed.

The usual shine and laughter that Serena normally wore as naturally as her trademark buns, gone. It was, Lita realized, replaced by the same look that had been in her eyes for several weeks now, even before the battle with _Hypnotica_, very adult, very controlled yet fierce and determined. It's also the same look Lita used to see every day in the mirror, back in the time before the precious blonde entered her life, back when it was necessary to hide the vulnerability behind cold indifference.

That, Lita realised abruptly, was what ate at her insides and burned a hole in her gut. She wanted _so desperately _to bundle Serena up and carry her away somewhere, somewhere she wouldn't hurt as Lita could only imagine she hurt.

But it wasn't her concern Serena needed now. Knowing so, Lita took a deep breath, shrugged it off _only for the moment_, she promised herself silently, and said with forced nonchalance, "Shall we transform and work on our attacks?"

Serena sized Lita up for a few seconds before deciding, "No transformation. Straight hand to hand combat, full body contact," she said determinedly.

Lita's throat closed. She had to swallow hard before responding, "Serena, I outweigh you by at least forty pounds. Are you..."

"The enemies will outweigh me even more," Serena broke in. "I need to learn to defend myself!" she insisted stubbornly.

Lita gritted her teeth but nodded grimly after a moment, "Alright then."

Serena brought her fist up hard and fast and would have hit Lita square on the jaw if the brunette hadn't anticipated the move.

"Don't go easy on me," said the blonde.

"As you wish," Lita crouched as Serena did and both girls started circling one another. "Come at me will you?!"

Lita took a deep breath and did just that, with a swiftness and force that had Serena stumbling back, almost losing her footing. _This_, she decided as she pivoted and blocked Lita's next attack _was more like it._

She shifted her weight and wrapped her arms around Lita's throat. Lita planted her feet solidly, elbowed Serena and flipped her over her shoulder. Serena however, was up like lightning before Lita could pin her to the ground, her fist made a solid connection with Lita's stomach.

Barely winded by the punch, Lita followed through with a head butt that had Serena down once again. With no time to gain her feet before Lita was on her, she scissored one of Lita's ankle between hers and twisted.

And so it went on. They jabbed, punched, kicked and parried until both were breathing heavily. Though she gave a really good fight, Serena wasn't quite a match for the mighty Scout of Thunder, at least not yet and certainly not in hand to hand combat. Her breath wheezing, she staggered and went down on her knees.

Lita bent over, rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath. Her mind was full of red now. She could feel the anger rising, straining to spew. "Okay, that's enough!" she said fiercely when Serena started to get up and once again crouched into a fighting stance.

"It's not Lita! I'm still not good enough! I won't be a liability to you girls in the battle!"

Lita narrowed her eyes, "What are you talking about?"

Serena straightened herself, "You girls spend too much time worrying about me in the battles. I **_know_** he's not there to protect me anymore, but I **_can_** take care of myself. I **_need_** you to trust me to take care of myself. And apparently you don't. So we're going to do this until you do! Because I'm not having any of you get hurt because of my incompetence!" frustration and fatigue finally cut through her cool shield of composure.

The rage drained from Lita's face and all that was left in her eyes was misery. "I don't watch your back because I don't trust you. You could be the best fighter there is, and I'm still going to worry. I'm **_still_** going to have your back! Serena, I'm **_always_**going to have your back, no matter what. You're my friend. My _best friend_. I **_love_** you. You think I'm going to let anything happen to you?"

Seeing the painful unhappiness in her friend's eyes, Serena's heart twisted. _All that worry for **me**_, she thought, despising herself. All the fight went out of her and slowly she stepped to Lita, into her and wrapped her arms tight, "Thanks," she murmured.

Both hands fisted to her sides, Lita mustered one word, "For?"

"For knowing me well enough to understand what I needed." Closing her eyes, Serena pressed her face and wallowed in her friend for just a moment, "I think I understand you well enough to know it wasn't easy for you to do, to keep fighting me when your instinct is to protect me. But I really do need to learn to defend myself and who better to teach me than you?"

Lita's arms came hard around her, "I can't stand to see you hurting this way."

Serena let out a breath and slowly eased out of her friend's embrace, "I'm going to get through this. I won't be less than he expect. I won't be less than _you_ expect, nor will I be less than what I expect of myself."

"I don't expect anything from you. I just want you to be happy." Letting out a breath, long and shaky, Lita continued, "Rena, do you remember the first time we met?" she asked.

Serena's brows drew together. Saying nothing, she nodded.

The two friends started walking towards the shrine, stopping by to get their bottled water on the ground.

"I was so surprised that day. Before you, everyone steered clear of me, too scared that I might beat the crap out of them. Too engrossed in their own perception of me to even bother to try to get to know me. And then you came. Small and petite and you just walked up to me, no fear whatsoever. So yeah, I was so surprised that day. Want to know what surprised me even more?"

"What?"

"How easy it was for you to simply accept me. One moment we were strangers and the next, we became friends. Just like that, I was your friend. Just like that, I had your loyalty, I had your love. Just like that, you've got my back. And because you were my friend, others who feared me stopped fearing me. They started seeing me through **_your_** eyes. People started talking to me. They stopped scuttling out of the way at the sight of me. I didn't have to do _anything_ to change their perception of me. All it took was **_you_**."

Thoroughly ashamed that her eyes had started to water and her voice had started to waver, Lita gulped down water to get her bearings back.

"Lita..."

"I'm not done yet Rena. Mina, Raye and Amy, they are my friends too and such great friends they are. **_You_** brought them to me. You brought them to me when you gave me the chance to be your friend. You brought _us_ to each other when you gave each and every one of us the chance to be your friend. Each one of us, before you found us, was in our own way, lost souls. Before you, that's what we were. And now you're hurting and you won't let us help you. You've closed off and won't let us in." The pain was back in her eyes, the weariness back in her face.

Serena's head felt achy and muffled, her body sore and her throat raw but her heart...her heart felt worse. She closed her eyes tight and turned away for a moment. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to. It's just that, I can't **_feel _**one thing and **_not_** feel the others. It's just easier to step back from all the feelings. It's my way of coping. I don't mean to hurt you or to shut you out. It's just _my way of coping_. It's the _only_ way I know how. I'm sorry. I love you. I don't mean to cause you any pain or worry or..." her voice broke, "I'm so useless! I can't do anything right, can I?"

She was abruptly drawn into Lita's arms in a tight hug. "Shhh...hush now! If this is what you need to do, then it's what you need to do. You didn't do anything wrong. Doesn't matter how you chose to cope with this, I'm **_always_** going to worry about you and seeing you in pain is **_always_** going to hurt me. But if this is what you need to do to cope, then you do it. And if I ever hear you call yourself useless again..."

Serena's arms went around Lita's back, "I love you Leets."

"I love you too, Rena."

Serena barely ate that night and neither Raye nor Lita pressed her. Both had grieved before in their lives and knew that food wasn't usually the answer. So it was actually a relief to both when Serena went to bed early. _At least she'd get some rest and sleep_, both had thought and continued with their 'Die Hard' movies marathon.

With her shoulders propped against the wall outside Raye's bedroom and her jaw clenched, Lita listened quietly to the muffled heartbroken sobs, wordlessly pounding a fisted hand against an open palm through Serena's hushed weeping, until the sounds of stifled sobs subsided into quite moans and finally silence.

Slowly, she entered the room and fussy as a mother hen over a sick chick, she smoothed the covers over Serena. Under the dimmed light of a table lamp, the girl looked pale and blond, beautiful and heartbreakingly young. _She looked like a fairy sleeping_, Lita thought.

"Is she out?" Raye asked warily from the doorway.

"I'm going to knock some sense into Darien. I'm going to **_really_** hurt him." Lita said.

"Get in line. I could **_kill_** him for putting that look in her eyes," worry and guilt had left Raye feeling raw and irritated.

"Get in line." Lita threw the words back at Raye.

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **23 May 2013**

**A/N:** Erm...I'm really bad with action scenes. But I want different reactions and scenarios for each 'Serena/Scout' moment. It's also a way to experiment with my writing, to see if I can pull it off. I hope it didn't sound too forced or awkward. Unfortunately, I'm still writing with no snippets in my head. They make me write faster and help with the flow of my story. :( But do let me know what you think, and I'd be really grateful if you aren't too harsh on me! :)

So, next up will be **Concerned Friends: Raye's Resentment**. These two, I think have a lot of issues to work through or at least to get out in the open. Scars or wounds too long ignored will usually fester. So chances are, Raye's chapter **_would_** be longer and filled with angst. Though I think it will only come out next month since I aim for Chapter 14: **Little Princesses** of **TOBITF** to come out this month and there are only 8 days left of May! But I don't dare make any promises as neither chapter has been written _at all_ and I'm just so busy at the moment!


	6. Concerned Friends (c): Raye's Resentment

**A/N:** Okay, I'm rather apprehensive about writing this chapter but I thought there were 'issues' Raye and Serena needed to get out in the open.

Before that, thanks to everyone who 'favourite' and/or 'follow' this story and to those who took the time to review the previous chapter:

**Princess Moonie of the moon: **Thanks! Here's your update! ;) **Puffgirl1952:** LOL. I'll give Lita the honour of Darien bashing in **Avenging Guardians: Lita's Lashing**, coming soon! ;) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Here you go! ;) **James Birdsong: **Thank you so much! ;) **Nich31:** Thank you! I'm both flattered and slightly embarrassed by your review. It's so beautiful and kind! There's more sadness and anger in this chapter and I hope I'm able to convey them in a way my readers can relate with. Don't cry over my late update, cry over the story instead! :) **trish1573: **I want to know where May went too! Let me know when you find out! LOL. Seriously though, I'm glad I had a part in making your day great. Your reviews never fail to make me smile (and blush!) :) **AimlesslyGera:** LOL. Why would it be weird? They will all beat him, though not in the way you think. Mina will hit him with her cunning, Lita with her fist, Raye with guilt and Amy with logic! There's more Andrew too! Let's see if I can't make it more interesting than the way you imagined it, shall we? ;) **Moonprincess998: **Thank you! But I just don't have your imagination! Ah well, we make do with what we do have! ;) **adoore:** Thanks! I'm honoured! Darien **_is_** suffering and **_will_** suffer more before this story is over. Poor guy! :)** Guest:** Thanks! What a compliment! I tried my best. I'm glad it worked out okay. Here's your update! :) **l1s44p: **I'm really glad. To be honest, I prefer the Japanese names too but since it's not one of the languages I have command over, I didn't want to risk making mistakes with the suffixes. ;)

This story as previously mentioned, is dedicated to **Shaydoe**, my wonderful friend over the ocean! :)

Alright then, I give you the third part of **Concerned Friends**!

**Thoughts are in **_Italics__**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Come Back to Me (Part 4(c): Concerned Friends: Raye's Resentment)**

When Serena woke, the sun was already shining into the room, and she was empty. Not once in the weeks since the fateful battle with _Hypnotica_ had she broke her promise to herself not to cry anymore. She had tried her best to keep her promise to Darien as well, to be okay, to live her life, to not do anything stupid and to take care of herself. So, she had went about her daily life as normally as she could, given her circumstances. She had laughed as much as she could as well and thought that she had buried the pain so deep that no one could see it. She had succeeded for the most part but had also ended up with a terrible burden of emotion stored up, so much so that the confrontation with Mina a few days ago, the one with Lita the day before, and the thought that her friends are hurting because of her, became the final straw.

_I'm trying my best, trying __**so hard**__ and yet they __**still**__ worry. I'm laughing, I trained, I studied, I do my homework, __**and**__ I go out and spend time with them. I don't cry or hide myself away and __**still**__ they see my pain and hurt for me. What else am I supposed to do? __**Why**__ can't I do __**anything**__ right?! _She had thought desperately, guilt weighed down heavily onto weariness and heartbreak. So, last night, she finally succumbed to the tears and had cried herself to sleep till there were no more tears of bitterness or hurt left to be shed.

Now, her head throbbed with the dull, consistent ache that usually followed weeping and grief. Her body felt hollow as though the bones had disappeared while she slept and her heart went back to being as vacant as it had been for the last several weeks. She struggled to think of a reason to get up but could think of nothing, could **_feel_** nothing more. Getting up suddenly seemed like a wasted effort. _What's the point? _She thought, staring up at the ceiling blankly. She wanted to sleep again, wanted to just disappear.

"Are you going to lie in bed with the covers over your head the whole day?"

Turning over, she saw Raye leaning over the door frame, arms folded over her chest, purple eyes watching her intently.

Annoyance struggled to surface but drowned in the vast sea of emptiness and void, "I don't have the covers over my head," she muttered, sat up, drew her knees into her chest and rested her head on them.

Looking at her, fury joined concern and Raye decided it was time to lead with fury instead, "It gets tiring watching you wallow in self pity," the raven haired priestess said scathingly.

Because she recognised the tone, Serena braced for a fight. Tears when she thought she had none left to shed were surging back, and she struggled against them. They made her tired anyway. "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about Raye. It's Sunday. I _always_ stay in bed on Sunday," she said evenly.

A quick flare of temper at Serena's calm tones had Raye marching into the room and pulling the blanket off her blonde friend roughly. She was worried and heartsick, and her emotions were bouncing like a rubber ball from concern and anger for Darien, misery and sorrow for Serena and frustration at not knowing what to do for either of them.

"No, you don't. Not anymore. The _Meatball Brains _I used to know _would_ stay in bed on a Sunday. But not you! The **_emotionless_** robot that you are now, have been up and running before the sun was up for the last three Sundays!"

There was a quaver in her voice that came just as much from pain and worry as from anger. But her purple eyes were flat and cold. Something in her head felt like exploding and something in her heart was screaming.

Serena's hand wasn't quite steady as she ran it through her hair. Slowly, her feet came to rest on the floor but she remained seated on the bed as she watched her angry friend wearily, silently considering how to respond. She opened her mouth, ordered herself to breathe before she spoke, "Really Raye, I got up early and I'm an emotionless robot, I stay in bed and I'm wallowing in self pity. There's no pleasing you, is there?" she said as her lips curved a little, sarcasm laced with an attempt at teasing.

Raye made a sound somewhere between a groan and a scream, "You're driving me insane! I don't know how you don't drive yourself insane!"

At this, Serena just shrugged, beginnings of irritation bubbling to the surface, "I'm not doing anything Raye. I just woke up. How am I driving you insane? What are you so upset about?" she asked wearily, quietly.

Raye stepped closer, fists clenched at her sides. Her mouth looked like she was chewing the words, and the words were bitter. "That's just it, isn't it? You're **_not_** doing anything! **_Why_** aren't you **_doing_** something? He broke up with you over a **_dream_**! Why aren't you out there kicking his ass? Why are you just **_accepting_**this? Why are you just **_giving up_**?" she said as she paced back and forth in front of the sitting Moon Princess.

Turning and finally stopping her pacing to face the blonde, Raye's sharp, accusing eyes pinned Serena, "I thought you **_loved_** him? You **_loved _**him so much, you just **_give up_**?" she continued, bitterness spewing out and scalding her blonde friend.

Serena lifted a hand and rubbed it gently over her heart. _It still beats_, she thought, somewhat amazed, _even though it's been shattered to pieces. It can __**still**__ hurt __**even more**_. She struggled to keep her face blank and her voice even for both their sakes but couldn't quite stop the tears that gathered in her throat as she spoke, "What would you have me do, Raye? Beg? I did. On my knees. More than once," she admitted even as it shamed her to no end.

Raye winced. She skimmed the back of her hand over her cheek, upset the single tear had gotten passed her guard but otherwise said nothing as Serena continued, "You can't force feelings Raye. It doesn't matter how much you love someone and want him to love you back. Love can't be forced. It isn't love if it has to be forced."

The quiet sorrow and acceptance in Serena's voice made Raye's throat burn. Temper still stained her cheeks but her purple eyes were bleak now. Her worries acted as an impetus for resentments harboured over time, ones she wasn't even aware of, until the words spewed out of her before she could stop them, splattering them both with even more bitterness, "Not _beg_, Meatball Head! I'm saying, kick his ass, make him understand, show him how much you love him, **_anything_**! Fight for him! Isn't he worth that much? If you could just give up on him, give **_him_** up, maybe he _**does**_ deserve better!"

Serena slowly stood up. She could see the world she tried to piece together shattered in her hands. There were tears gathering but these were hot and full of rage. She forced them back just the same. Tears whether in pain or anger, were useless and weak and she was **_through_** being weak. There was a deep numbness in her chest, and under it, a kind of terrifying, unspeakable pain. The pain, the fatigue, and the misery pushed tact aside. Almost two months of pent up emotions, agony and heartbreak had her lashing out, "You mean someone like you? You think I don't **_know _**that you still have feelings for him? You think I don't know that sometimes you wondered what he saw in me, what he was doing with someone like me? When he could have someone like **_you_**? You think I don't see the way you speculate? That I don't know that there are moments when you **_hate_** me for being with him? **_Despise _**me, for taking him from you? You think I don't see that sometimes your jokes **_weren't _**jokes, that you actually **_meant_** them? Especially when you said I wasn't good enough for him? So what are you waiting for? He's free now. Go for it! Go kick his ass, go make him understand, go show him how much _**you**_ love him, go do **_anything_**, **_something_**! Go fight for him! He's worth that much, right?"

Shaken by the truths in Serena's words, appalled that her words were thrown back to her face, Raye reached out to touch Serena's arm. There was no point in denying, less in asking how she knew. A part of her had always known that Serena knew, a part of her had **_wanted_** Serena to know, **_needed_** for Serena to know.

And yet, seeing her friend's hands fisted by her sides, her **_best_** friend, her **_first _**friend, Raye couldn't for the life of her, remember **_why_** she had wanted and needed to hurt Serena in the first place. She preferred Serena to use those fists rather than those words. Layers of self loathing added onto the guilt and frustration she already carried. So she dropped her hand instead. Slowly, with slow even breaths, she pulled her guts back in. Even then, they still ached. She felt her breath hitched, felt the simmering hysteria start its greasy rise. Her voice, always so sure, trembled, "But I **_never_** had him, did I? You never **_stole_** him from me, did you? He was never **_mine_**, was he? You think **_I_** don't know that you let me pick on you, let me call you names, let me say hurtful things to you, just so **_I_** feel better? You think I don't know all that?" she asked, looking into Serena's cerulean blue eyes that was usually so bright with life, but now dark with anguish and saw that what she had taken for blame and temper was also guilt and shame and was baffled by them.

Appalled by her outburst, Serena's stomach had gone to ice. She blew out a breath and scrubbed her hands over her face. The anger that came so quick before had turned pale, languid and finally faded just as quickly as it had surfaced, leaving her with self blame and mortification instead. "I knew how you felt for him and yet couldn't bring myself to let him go. Not even for you, as much as I love you. It was selfish of me. But I thought he loved me. I thought he **_needed _**me. I thought I could make him happy the way you wouldn't be able to. I thought all that because I thought it was **_me_** he loved. I was wrong. I was selfish. I'm sorry Raye. I'm so very sorry," she said softly, sighing as the weight of keeping everything in, slid off her shoulder, as the release dulled mortification.

Raye's eyes were fierce, furious. "Don't do that! Don't you blame yourself! You're not selfish! For goodness sake, I don't think you even know **_how_** to _**be**_ selfish!"

A ghost of a smile flitted around Serena's mouth. _She looked so fierce_, she thought affectionately as the purple eyes of one of her best friends sparked with temper and frustration.

Tears threatened the fiery priestess. It was difficult to admit when after all this time, casting blame had helped soothe the hurt. But Raye isn't a coward. So she swallowed her pride and spoke the truth, "I wanted him to love me. It was easier blaming you for his lack of response. But you knew him first. And he responded to you the way he doesn't to anyone else. **_No one else_**. Not even me. He had eyes for you and only you, even while you were arguing like cats and dogs. Even before you found out each other's identity, even before we found out you were the Moon Princess, you had his attention, his passion. You had him captivated," The stone that had been in her heart for so long, dissolved with that confession and acknowledgement and acceptance.

Fisting her hand, Serena tapped it on her chest. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, knowing what she had to do, what she's about to do, even though her shattered, broken heart bled even more over the thought of it. But Raye was right, Serena is not a selfish person and her heart, tattered and crushed as it is, is strong and kind and far from weak. So she drew a breath, plunge and broke her own heart even more, "I was wrong about him loving me. Maybe you were wrong about him not loving you. You should go for it, for him. He's lonely Raye. He needs someone to be there for him. If it can't be me, maybe it can be you."

Raye looked at Serena, incredulity all over her face. "And you call yourself selfish? You really are a Meatball brain!"

Her heart lightened a bit at the familiar exasperation in Raye's tone, Serena continued gravely, "At the very least Raye, you'll know for sure. There'll be no regrets, no 'what ifs'," she said quietly.

Love swelled in her ridiculously as she looked into the cerulean eyes of her princess, one she had sworn to protect with her life a millennium ago, the friend she'd die for today even without the weight of that past life's oath. As her heart filled with the love, overwhelmed by it, tears streamed down Raye's cheeks.

Serena wrapped her arms around Raye and held tight. The gesture, the easy warmth of it, erased any remnants of tension between them.

Swamped with love, warmth and embarrassment, Raye let herself be held. "I love you even though you can be annoying, exasperating and such a pain sometimes," she sniffled.

Serena patted her back soothingly before letting go and replying, "I love you even though you can be sarcastic, irritating and hard headed."

Raye dug for composure. She took a deep breath, swallowed hard and found it along with the beginning of a grin. "So, we're okay?"

Relief flooded through her at the slight curve of Serena's lips and the grin grew wider at her best friend's reply.

"We are more than okay, Raye. We are friends. _Best friends_."

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **12 June 2013**

**A/N:** Good news! I've got my snippets back! Bad news? They are for **_future_** chapters and not current chapters I'm supposed to be working on. So, I've been writing this chapter and typing up my snippets at the same time so that I don't lose them like the last time!

Next up will be **Concerned Friends: Amy's Anxiety**. There's a song I overheard and can't get out of my head which I think describes **_perfectly_** how Serena feels. I'm going to try and incorporate it into **Amy's Anxiety** and hopefully will be able to do so without turning it into something cheesy and ruining my story. If I haven't already!

Do review and let me know what you think of this chapter. I finished it a couple hours ago but took longer to reread and cull out some of it. I don't know, I'm not used to harsh words, writing them or saying them out loud. So what doesn't **_feel _**right to me, even when they **_do_** come from me, I cut out.

I'll try and post **Amy's Anxiety** and **TOBITF**'s Chapter 15: **Training & Showdown** over the weekend or early next week. '**_Try_**' being the operative word.


	7. Concerned Friends (d): Amy's Anxiety

**A/N:** Okay, the last part to **Concerned Friends** everyone! There'll be two more (main) chapters for this story. I might also be persuaded to write an **Epilogue**. We'll see! ;)

Thanks ever so much to everyone who took the time to review the previous chapter as well as those who 'favourite' and/or 'follow' this story.

**Puffgirl1952: **Here you go, Amy's chapter! I'm afraid the Outers don't make an appearance in this fic but they do in **TOBITF**. Check it out!;) **Guest:** LOL. You did! I saw your reviews for **TOBITF**. So touched you took the time to review every chapter you read. I can tell your reviews apart from every other guest reviewer's, mostly by the way you signed them. *blushing* Thanks ever so much! Really! :) **l1s44p**: Me too! Though, I usually find Mina/Serena moments easier to write. I hope you'll like Ami-chan's chapter! :) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Thanks! Here you go! ;) **Moonprincess998: **Thanks! I think they love each other very much! :) **Princess Seraphina88:** LOL. I actually think S&D belong together! Let's see if I can change your mind by end of the story or maybe by Part 5 which features _**his** _sufferings! ;) **Nich31:** You're most welcome! And thank you so much for your kind review! :) **trish1573:** Ermm...now I'm confused. New story? LOL. I had a couple of ideas popped into my head but haven't mentioned it yet. Are you sure you aren't psychic? As for Raye with D? You'll see. It's 3 chapters away! And Lita punching him is just 2 chapters away! And our favourite princess does have a backbone. Sometimes it takes more strength to forgive and I think her strength also lies in the way she loves. No new story until this one is complete but as always, what a wonderful review! Take care now and smile! Smiling always makes things feel somewhat better! :) **bunny88rosemagic: **Thanks! I'll try my best! ;)

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

* * *

**Come Back to Me (Part 4(d): Concerned Friends: Amy's Anxiety)**

Serena scanned the pool area. It had become a habit now for her to swim with Amy every Tuesday and Thursday evenings before they start their revision session or go through their homework. She was early today though. It would take Amy another hour at least, to get there from her cram school.

_Just as well_, she thought, cross-eyed with fatigue, _gives me a chance to get my bearings._

"I'm so tired," she muttered to herself absentmindedly, in a voice soft as the flutters of birds' wings.

With a sigh, she walked to the locker room and changed into her new one piece swim suit. The old one had gotten too loose to fit her properly. Her stride was broken before she could get her towel. Strangling a cry, she pressed a hand under her breasts. Undaunted, she fumbled out her antacids, even knowing it was like trying to put out a forest fire with a water gun. The burning pressure made her eyes water, but she struggled against it and forced herself to breathe and push the pain away. More deep breaths and she slowly straightened herself. With the towel hanging on her shoulder, she calmly walked back into the pool area.

Tossing her towel onto one of the lounge chairs that lined two sides of the pool, Serena dived in and surfaced with a delicious shiver that dulled her fatigue and discomfort. She cut through the water in long, strong strokes and began the first of her now routine, twenty laps. Keeping her mind blank, she let the workout eat away at the tension and weariness. When she reached one end of the pool, she curled, tucked her feet in and pushed off and resolutely picked up the pace as she went along, testing and pushing herself.

Amy angled her head and studied her best friend as the blonde pushed herself as she had been doing for weeks now. "Oh Serena, what are you doing to yourself?" She let out a sound, a mix of sorrow and regret, worry hung like a dark grey cloud over her head.

Catching a glimpse of her bluenette friend, Serena made her way to the end of the pool and surfaced, pushing her wet bangs out of her eyes. Smiling brightly, she greeted her friend, "Hey there Ames! I've already got fifteen laps in but I can do fifteen more to keep you company," she said cheerfully.

_She looked tired, pale and drawn_. Amy's sharp eyes noted the signs of exhaustion and the very subtle tell of sorrow. Cerulean blue eyes dominated a face pale and shadowed. _She couldn't cover the fatigue_, Amy thought, _but she cloaked the unhappiness well enough. It barely showed around the edges. If I don't know her as well as I do, I wouldn't even be able to tell_.

Because it hurts her heart to watch, Amy turned away to pick up Serena's towel for her. When she turned back to her friend, her voice stayed calm, even as her belly clenched, "Somehow I don't feel like swimming today," she said, forcing a smile to her face. "How about ice cream at that new place across the street instead?" she asked.

Looking at Amy for a moment, Serena shrugged away the dread pooling in her gut. "Sure! Ice cream sounds great! Yum!" she said, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

As the two friends made their way to the ice cream parlour, Serena's stomach quivered, an echo of dread and nerves. "Are you going to lecture me Ames?" she asked quietly.

Amy waited a beat before answering, "Rena, do you really think I don't know that you haven't been sleeping? You're tired, sad, overstressed and undernourished."

A flicker of pain crossed Serena's face as she pressed her hand to her temple. Her legs wobbled with fatigue that was beginning to resurface. "It's not like I don't try. I go to bed at the appropriate time and I don't skip any meals," she replied defensively, weary that all her friends were ganging up on her one by one.

Recognising the resentment and weariness swirling in Serena's eyes, Amy sighed as she pushed the door to the ice cream parlour open. "Let's sit down, go through the menu before we order," she said easily and eased herself down into one of the booth.

"I know you're trying Rena. It's really not your fault that you don't have the appetite or that you have trouble sleeping and I'm not blaming you. I promise I'm not," she began in her usual gentle voice and calm ways.

"But you're using more energy now. What with training during the weekends, swimming with me Tuesdays and Thursdays, keeping up at school, extra revisions, fighting the enemies. You need the energy and the proper rest, or you'll make yourself sick," she continued earnestly before pushing on, "I'm not blaming you but I'm really worried about you."

"I know. Everyone's worried about me. I don't know what to do about it." Surrendering to pain, Serena shut her eyes, "Oh God, my head aches, I'm sore everywhere."

"I know, I can see it," As a parent might soothe a child, Amy stroked Serena's hair, brushed the bangs off her face.

"I'm tired." Serena hated, resented the shakiness in her voice but went on, "I'm humiliated and I feel broken and empty."

She hadn't let her tears fall, so they swam there, pools of sorrows, breaking Amy's heart.

"Do you know what's always worried me about you, Rena? Even before all this?" she asked.

Serena shrugged, "My grades?"

Shaking her head, Amy's reply was soft, filled with self recrimination, "Your self esteem. It makes me sad that too many of us pointed you in that direction."

Another noncommittal shrugged. "I have no special traits. Raye and Mina have the dazzling looks and confidence. Lita is so strong and kind. You are so gentle and have all that brain. And I'm...me, the klutz, the cry baby."

Amy couldn't help herself. She grabbed both Serena's hands in hers, "You actually believe that, don't you? That's why you actually believed it when Darien said he doesn't love you anymore."

"He doesn't. He said so himself. Plain and clear. He couldn't make it any clearer. You all were there."

"Mina told us about the dream."

"I gathered as much from Raye over the weekend."

"Don't you think that he's just protecting you? If the situation is reversed, what would **_you_** have done?"

"To be honest, I don't know. But I would die before I break his heart or hurt him in _any_ way," Serena said despairingly. "I can't defend him Ames, because what he did is against **_everything_** I believe in. You don't give up on the people you love. You don't just throw them away like they mean **_nothing_**. You don't try to hurt them or break them in every way you know how."

Tears sprang into Amy's eyes at the desolation in Serena's voice and the despair in her eyes. It felt as if her heart was stuck in her throat.

"He **_does_** love you Rena," she tried to convince her best friend, the one who taught her to live life, who drew her out into the real world so that she could **_experience_** life instead of just reading about it.

Serena shook her head, "I don't believe that. Not anymore. I know he cares. He has to because he's not a bad person. But love? No. And I really don't want to talk about him anymore Ames."

Amy struggled to push the hurt and worry aside and at Serena's pleading look, the hurt disappeared and the worry was tucked away.

Forcing a smile to her face, she gave an adamant nod, "Right! You and I are ordering two scoops of ice cream with the most calories in them, each," she said pulling her blonde friend out of the booth to choose their ice creams.

Serena chose a scoop of hazelnut temptation, chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and hazelnut and a scoop of her favourite vanilla and cookies ice cream while Amy went with a scoop of Mango delight, a mango flavoured ice cream with fresh slices of mangoes in them and a scoop of strawberry paradise, a strawberry flavoured ice cream covered with strawberry sauce. Giggling, Serena rolled her eyes at Amy's choice, "You even chose healthy ice cream Ames."

Amy smiled at the infectious giggle that had been absent from Serena for so long, "I don't know what you're talking about. All this strawberry sauce can't possibly be healthy!"

"But they're fruits and fruit flavoured! Here, try some of mine!" Serena scooped up some of her hazelnut temptation and held the spoon to Amy's mouth.

_Still so pale,_ Amy thought, _nearly transparent and her face is far too thin_, as she obediently opened her mouth.

"You know what we're going to do after this? We're going to go buy a couple of tubs of ice creams to share with the others and we're going to rent some movies, Barrymore movies, and we're having a girl's night!" The studious Amy decided on the spur of the moment and could have laughed at the expression on Serena's face.

"But it's a school night Ames!"

Reaching out, she put the back of her hand on Amy's forehead, "Are you sure you're alright?" she asked as concern joined disbelieve.

Amy did laugh now. A quick rolling sound that came from the gut. "So? Tomorrow's Friday. I'm sure we'll survive **_one_** more day of school. And then it's the weekend, we can all sleep in," she said, struggling to keep her face straight.

"Are you saying no revision from today till Saturday?" Serena asked, disbelieve all over her face.

"Of course not, when we wake up on Saturday, we'll catch up on the revision throughout the weekend!" Amy replied with a twinkle in her eyes.

Serena laughed, exasperated and amused at the same time. "I should've known. There's always a catch!" she said shaking her head, "But Barrymore? As in _Drew_ Barrymore?" she asked with raised eyebrow. Concern gone but disbelieve remained.

Amy nodded her head enthusiastically, "I was thinking **_Ever After_**, **_Never Been Kissed_** and **_Music and Lyrics_**," she said much to Serena's surprise.

"Those aren't your usual," she said before she could stop herself.

"I beg your pardon. **_Ever After_** features the most intelligent and witty adaptation of Cinderella. Andy Tenant did a wonderful job on the screenplay. Danielle de Barbarac actually has brains and courage. **_Never Been Kissed_** features a discussion of Shakespeare's **_As You Like It_** and Josie Gellar is intelligent and charming."

Delighted with her friend's litany, Serena couldn't help teasing, "And **_Music and Lyrics_**?"

Amy actually winced slightly before she could cover it up. "Well..." she stalled, her mind racing a mile a minute to come up with a suitable answer, "**_Music and Lyrics_** is fun and funny, right? Raye and Mina would love it," she finally said, pleased with herself and it really did her heart good to hear Serena's quick laugh followed her response.

Gripping Serena's hand in hers and looking into the clear sky blue eyes intently, "Just so we're clear? What you said before, about not having any special traits? It couldn't be further from the truth. You are the most special person I know. You lift everyone up and made everyone feel special and good about themselves. You accept people the way they are. You're not blind to their faults and yet you love them unconditionally. You're the only one I know who does that," she said earnestly before pulling her best friend towards the video rentals.

Later that night, at Mina's place since her parents were abroad and she had wanted to use her piano for later, the girls had the time of their life.

"Well, each main protagonist is a female with intellect and the courage to stand up for their beliefs, even **_Music and Lyrics_**' Sophie Fisher," Amy announced, looking at Serena meaningfully.

Serena laughed while Lita rolled her eyes, "Really Ames, you could just say heroines," she muttered, trying to catch Amy's feet to apply nail polish to them.

"Speaking of music and lyrics, I wrote a new song," Mina said, walking to the piano at the corner of the living room.

Smiling at this, Raye sauntered over to pick up her guitar at the side of the sofa. "And I helped **_improve_** her tune **_and_** wrote the lyrics," she added smugly, purple eyes laughing teasingly.

Deeply amused, Mina replied easily, "And **_I_** helped improve **_your_** lyrics."

"So basically, the two of you wrote the music and lyrics for a song **_together_**," Amy deduced with a huge grin on her face.

"Trust you to sum it up so tidily Ames," Lita said absentmindedly, eyeing the two different shades of blue nail polish in her hands critically, holding them both up against Amy's hair.

"Well, it doesn't really take a genius, does it?" the blue haired genius replied in a rare show of humour.

Laughing, Mina raised her fingers and started ticking away at an imaginary list, "Well, we've had Lita's fantastic spaghetti, Amy's choice of movies, ice cream and pop corn, did each other's hair and paint each other's nails..."

"Amy's nails not done yet," Lita interrupted as Amy shifted her feet away from her yet again in self-defence.

Unperturbed, Mina continued, "Time for a jamming session. You girls are in for a treat if Raye and I do say so ourselves!"

Serena looked around the room. Mina sat at the piano, her fingers fast and smooth on the keys, Raye just as apt with a guitar in her hands, their beautiful strong voices singing their duet in perfect harmony to one another, Amy sitting with a book in her lap resignedly looking down at Lita who's at her feet happily painting her toes blue to match her hair, both girls swaying gently and nodding their heads to the tune their two friends sang. Her heart swamped with love and gratitude. For these people in her life, the friends she cherished above others, her guardians who loved her just as much as she loved them. She had tried her best to keep her pain locked away, to spare them her hurt and doubts, and it had ended up hurting them, worrying them instead.

Mina was pushed to mutiny and had sat holding her solemnly in silence and shared pain when she was usually so carefree and passionate. Lita, against her very instinct to protect and coddle, had taught her to fight and had fought her ferociously. Raye had let herself be held and had cried in her arms despite her natural abhorrence to any show of vulnerability. And Amy had pulled herself away from her obligatory routine studies to arrange an impromptu girl's night on a **_school_** night. Each one of her friends had gone against their own nature, had put their own needs aside for her. Each one of them had hurt **_with_** her and **_for_** her because they each had been able to see her buried sorrow despite her best efforts to hide them. And each of them had been hurt by it, been hurt when she had kept her feelings to herself, been hurt when she had emotionally stepped back and away from them and been hurt when all she wanted to do was protect them.

She let out a deep breath. Maybe it was time to let them know her feelings, to bare it out in the open. Maybe that would help in purging the pain and take her another step closer toward healing.

"That's really wonderful you girls. Really," she said, "One would think with all your screaming at me, your voice would be hoarse Raye," she teased, buying a bit of time to settle her nerves.

Raye stuck her tongue out at her, "You wish Meatball Head!"

All the other girls laughed. For a minute, it felt like old times, like nothing was wrong.

Serena cleared her throat. "I was playing with that guitar of yours over the weekends, wrote a song myself," she started nervously and tilted her head towards the guitar in Raye's hands.

Raye and Lita nodded their heads. They had heard her play from time to time after training sessions when she was by herself and the both of them had stayed out of her way at night before bed to give her a bit of solitude.

"We heard. It's a beautiful melody. No lyrics though," Lita said gently, cautiously.

"There are lyrics. I just never voiced them out loud," Serena cleared her throat once again before continuing, "Would you girls like to hear it? My song?" she quietly asked.

"Do you want to sing it for us?" Amy asked back, just as quietly.

"Because if you do, we'd like nothing better," Mina gently added coaxingly.

Not trusting her voice to speak, Serena nodded and held her hand out for the guitar.

Raye passed it to her and sat on the floor by her feet, facing her. Mina joined Raye and Lita on the floor.

Serena bent her head down, tuning the guitar and keeping her face away from her friends while she dug for composure. Slowly, the beginning of slow, heartbreaking melody filled the room for a couple of minutes before her sweet, heart wrenching voice, followed.

Have you ever loved somebody so much  
It makes you cry  
Have you ever needed something so bad  
You can't sleep at night  
Have you ever tried to find the words  
But they don't come out right  
Have you ever, have you ever

Have you ever been in love  
Been in love so bad  
You'd do anything to make them understand  
Have you ever had someone steal your heart away  
You'd give anything to make them feel the same  
Have you ever searched for words to get you in their heart  
But you don't know what to say  
And you don't know where to start

Have you ever found the one  
You've dreamed of all of your life  
You'd do just about anything to look into their eyes  
Have you finally found the one you've given your heart to  
Only to find that one won't give their heart to you  
Have you ever closed your eyes and  
Dreamed that they were there  
And all you can do is wait for the day when they will care

Have you ever loved somebody so much  
It makes you want to break down and cry  
Have you ever needed something so bad  
You can't sleep at night  
Have you ever tried to find the words  
But they just don't come out right  
Have you ever, have you ever

And as Serena's sweet voice and the beautiful melody from the guitar faded, the soft patter of falling rain from outside the house filled the silence that permeated the room.

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **15 June 2013**

**A/N:** Hmm... This chapter is almost/just as long as one of **TOBITF** chapters. Well, what do you think? Please tell me I haven't ruined the story? :) The song (edited only the slightest bit) is titled**_ 'Have you ever?'_**beautifully written by **_Dianne Warren_** and sang with feelings by **_Brandy Norwood_**. It's a really lovely song. I think it describes how Serena feels**_ perfectly_**. How many of you agree with me? ;)

Well, like I said, **Concerned Friends** didn't turn out **_quite_** the way I planned and writing each 'Serena/Scout' moment separately in between a very tight schedule and too many other obligations distracting me, definitely was not an easy feat! Do review and let me know what you think and if you have a favourite 'Serena/Scout' moment. I'm **_really_** interested to know which part you think is best between Mina's Mutiny, Lita's Loyalty, Raye's Resentment and Amy's Anxiety as I was experimenting and trying out a different feel for each. You can even rank them if you wish! ;)

My next update will be titled **Avenging Guardians** featuring Mina's Meddling, Lita's Lashing, Raye's Regret and Amy's Advice and Andrew will be featuring quite a bit as well! Again, I don't think it will fit into just one chapter. So chances are, there'll be two to four parts to **Avenging Guardians** as it was with **Concerned Friends** and where **Concerned Friends **dealt with everyone's interaction with Serena, **Avenging Guardians** will feature everyone with Darien. That said, I think you know where I'm heading... :)

On another note, didn't I tell you that I write faster with my snippets back? I have some work to get out of the way but will start **TOBITF**'s Chapter 15: **Training & Showdown** as soon as I can. So, barring life and death emergencies (and/or no electricity for my laptop and/or new unexpected assignment deadlines and others in the same categories), expect it out within this coming week! ;)


	8. Avenging Guardians (a): Mina's Meddling

**A/N:** Darien's turn everyone! But before that, thanks ever so much to everyone who took the time to review the previous chapter:

**Puffgirl1952:** LOL. Here's more for you! ;) **Nich31:** Thank you! You're most welcome! I don't hold my chapters, once they're written, they'll be posted! Unless of course, the chapter **_before_** it have not yet been written! ;) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Heading your way! **Guest:** Oh wow! Am I that transparent? It's disconcerting I supposed, putting my work to the public and having very little response. It wears on the self esteem. But I'm **_really_** glad you like my writing and I **_really _**love your reviews! Now _**they**_ are really good for my self esteem! Thanks so much! ;) **Moonprincess998: **Thank you! I'm really glad you agree with me! Here's your update! :) **Mary: **Thanks! I'm glad you like my take and I totally agree with you, it simply wasn't highlighted in the anime. **Corey:** I'm glad you thought so and am truly glad my writing affected you the way it did! ;) **Emily: **Thanks! I like creating small surprises out of the predictable. I'm glad you approved! :) **l1s44p: **Oh Thank you for the ranking! Gives me an idea of what kind of scenes my readers like to read. Here's the next instalment. Enjoy! :) **SerenityShield:** What a delightful review! I was experimenting with my writing style. I'm glad you noticed the differences! This **_will _**have a happy ending. I promise! :) **SailorMoonForever:** Oh wow! You're _**super**_ awesome! Thank you for the chapter by chapter review! It means a lot as you're one of my favourite writers here! Thanks for taking the time and for the insight. I could use any advice you could give me!;) **trish1573: **LOL. I reckon by the time I'm done, Andrew just might move up on your list! ;)

Alright then, on with the first part of **Avenging Guardians**!

**Thoughts are in **_Italics__**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

* * *

**Come Back to Me (Part 5(a): Avenging Guardians: Mina's Meddling)**

Darien rubbed his tired eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he slept, _really_ slept. _Was it five weeks? Seven?_ He knew he had assignments to complete, too much work to catch up on because he hadn't been feeling quite himself and had been skipping some of his classes.

His home phone rang from beside his bed. Wishing he could ignore it and sorely tempted to do so, but knowing that Andrew was the only one who would call him at this time, he slowly, miserably, walked towards it and reluctantly picked it up, "Hey Drew."

At the other end of the line, Andrew gave a nervous chuckle, "Good. I was afraid you wouldn't pick up the phone and I'd have to go over there in person," he said chuckling yet again.

Darien raised his brow, picking up on his best friend's nervous vibes, "What's up Drew? Everything okay?" he asked. Concern for Andrew temporarily dulled his own misery.

"Yeah, everything's fine. I just need a small favour. Are you free on Friday? Are you doing anything?"

Rubbing his hand across his tired face once again, Darien sat on the side of his bed, "No. Just staying in. I need to catch up on some work and assignments, the usual. What's the favour?" he asked wearily.

"Well, I was supposed to double date with Lizzie and her boyfriend. Except that his flight is delayed and he won't be arriving till Saturday morning. The thing is we've already got tickets for the theatre and you know how expensive those things cost and Lizzie was really excited to see the play and now she won't come because she's feeling down and doesn't want to be the odd girl out. So I was wondering if you'd take his place instead. Please?" Andrew's response came rapidly in almost one breath.

Dread pooled in Darien's gut. He really wasn't up for any company. What he wanted to do was to spend his solitude wallowing in self pity. "Are you sure this isn't one of your usual ploys to get me to go out?" he asked drily.

Andrew laughed again, "Well, that too. So this would be like killing two birds with one stone. Please Dare? It's for Lizzie. You don't want her to be sad, do you? She hadn't seen him since she came back to Japan and she was really excited about Friday night. Now she'll just spend it moping instead. She's really missing him. You know what it's like missing someone you love," Andrew let his voice trailed off.

Darien fisted his hand and rubbed it gently over his heart, trying to soothe the startling, shocking pain Andrew's words brought him. _I do know. I know very well_, he thought as his heart clogged in his throat.

Hanging up the phone after agreeing with Andrew, Darien pressed a button on the answering machine. Bright, cheerful voice filled the silent room, "Hi there! This is Serena. You've reached Darien Shields's number but he's not able to come to the phone right now. Please leave a message and I'll make sure he'll call you back!"

A wistful smile made its way to his lips at the sound of his princess's voice. Oh how he missed her! Unbearable sadness and guilt twisted inside him. Feeling foolish and raw, he played it back twice more just to hear her voice again.

Propping his elbows on his knees, his face in his hands, Darien grieved over the hand fate dealt him and ached for the only girl he had ever truly love. The **_only_** one he **_will ever _**truly love.

Over at the arcade, Andrew hung up the phone and turned to Mina, "He said okay. I _really_ hope you know what you're doing, Mina."

Mina was lost in thoughts. She had been listening in on Andrew's conversation with Darien. "I didn't know Lizzie has a boyfriend."

Growing uncomfortable, Andrew tried for nonchalance. "She does."

"I should've known. I knew he wasn't in love with her, not when he's so completely in love with Rena. But the affection was real. So I thought he'd gone out with her, if only just to push Rena away. I didn't know they weren't going out. We **_all _**thought they were together," her eyes narrowed now and looked accusingly at Andrew, "but **_you_** knew. You knew Darien wasn't going out with Lizzie. You kept it quiet, kept it from us, from Rena!"

Something like panic tickled his throat and guilt weighed heavily on his shoulder. Andrew rubbed his hand hard over his face, "He's my best friend Mina. I don't know why he's doing what he's doing but I have to believe he has his reasons. Like you said, he's so completely in love with Rena. He wouldn't hurt her if he believes there's another way. I'm **_sure_** of it._ I have to believe that_, or I'll end up punching him in the face myself for hurting her the way he does," he tried to explain.

Her silence was a roar of fury. So he continued, pleaded, "You know I love her. I love Rena like a little sister. And I've been going _crazy_missing her and worrying about her, worrying about him. He looks so lost these days. He's suffering too even though he won't talk about it. _He's my best friend_," his voice forlorn, his eyes sad, begging for understanding.

"No offense, but your best friend is a moron," Andrew nearly winced when he saw Mina's usually laughing eyes go frigid with temper and his shoulders slumped when she sighed and rubbed her own hand over her face and continued dejectedly, "but he's a moron who _is_ in love with _my_ best friend and _she_ happens to be in love with him too. So we'll make this work."

When Friday night came, Darien made his way to the theatre. His steps faltered as he saw the familiar blue eyed blonde standing next to Andrew and Lizzie. His skin flashed hot, then cold again. But he never flinched as he greeted the siblings and subjected the blonde to a cool appraising look, "Mina," he said tersely, tilting his head in greeting, just barely restraining himself from bombarding her with questions of Serena's wellbeing. It wouldn't do to let her see how much he cared.

Mina's head mirrored his tilt, though her greeting was much friendlier, "Hi Darien. I hope you don't mind my joining at the last minute. Reika had something else to do and I volunteered to take her place," Mina said, trying desperately to look ruefully apologetic when she actually felt rather smug.

Darien raised an eyebrow, "Of course not. Though I never figured you for a Shakespeare fan. Andrew said we were watching Shakespeare," he turned an enquiring glance at Andrew and at his best friend's nod, Darien continued, "After all, we all know how much you love to mix up your proverbs and idioms." .

His cool, lightly teasing, amused voice, almost made her wince but if there was anyone who can match Darien's apathy when she wanted to, it was Mina, "Ah, you _really_ shouldn't listen to Rena. _She_ was the one with the comment about my mixing up proverbs and idioms, wasn't she? After all, you and I don't know each other well enough for you to draw out that conclusion yourself. But I was under the impression that you don't know _her_ that well either," she replied sweetly, a bright smile on her face, sarcasm dripped in honey.

Darien studied her bright smile. His expression didn't waver, it chilled instead.

Oblivious to the tension, Elizabeth brightened up at the mention of Serena, "Oh how is Serena? I haven't seen her in _ages_!"

Mina's smile was forced and cynical as she answered Elizabeth, not even bothering to hide her disdain, "She's not doing so well. Some jerk broke her heart," turning to Andrew she continued, deceptively casual, "But you know Rena, Drew, always worrying about everyone else. So she's heartbroken but trying her very best to be okay so that _we_don't worry. If you ask me, the bastard who threw her away, should just be castrated."

Andrew visibly flinched, not knowing what to say in response and actively avoiding Darien's eyes, knowing instinctively that his raven haired friend had figured out that he had been set up.

Feeling extremely pleased with herself, Mina clasped her hands behind her back, an innocent smile now played on her lips which belied her angry words of just moments before.

"Shall we go in and take our seats?" she asked no one in particular. Turning to Darien though, her eyes went cold and she addressed him coolly, "We're watching Romeo and Juliet by the way. I'm sure you'll enjoy it," she said as she took Andrew's arm in her hands and started forward into the theatre, "Darien's an expert, Lizzie," she couldn't resist adding over her shoulder to the couple walking behind her and Andrew.

As they sat at a table in a nearby cafe after the show, Elizabeth was still sniffling, "It's so sad. I can't believe how sad it is," she said as she delicately blew her nose into the handkerchief her brother gave her.

Andrew nodded in agreement, "If the apothecary's message had gotten through, or if he had waited just a few seconds longer, he'd see she's still alive, and _they'd_ still be alive _and _together."

Elizabeth nodded passionately at her brother's response, "What a tragedy," she sighed. Looking at Darien and Mina, she asked, "What do the two of you think?"

Darien shook his head, "The story is an epitome of Murphy's Law," he stated in typical demure Darien fashion.

"I say it's a waste! And I wouldn't waste my tears on him if I were you," Mina huffed in quiet defiant, sipping her coffee slowly.

Darien raised his eyebrow, "It's amazing that someone who played the famous role of Sailor Venus on television would scoff at a sacrifice being made for love," he drawled out lazily, studying her, covering for the benefit of Andrew and Elizabeth who were both unaware that Mina was in fact, also the _actual_ Scout of Love.

Her likeness to his princess was rather remarkable. _She doesn't have Serena's deceptive aura of fragility, not as gentle looking, not as stunningly beautiful and the eyes aren't as bright,_ _aren't as blue, but the likeness is there_,he compared in his head, missing his princess dreadfully, literally **_aching_** for her. _Not surprising. They **were**_ _cousins in the Silver Millennium_, he thought. For a second, when she had lifted her chin in defiant, he had felt his heart string pulled painfully at the reminder of his love, _Just like Serena every time I had called her Meatball Head back in the old days_ and his heart filled with longing so great it felt like it would shatter all over again. _Oh how I miss you Meatball Head, Serena, my darling, my life, my love._

Mina's eyes glinted dangerously, again in the same way Serena's always did after one of their arguments back in the old days and made Darien's heart twist even more painfully that he almost missed her spoken words, "Oh I believe in making sacrifices for love. I _totally_ believe in sacrificing for your loved ones. But where's the sacrifice here?"

Elizabeth gasped, "Are you kidding? He _killed_ himself when he thought she's dead!"

Mina nodded impatiently, "But is that what **_she_** would have wanted for him? What about respecting the sanctity of her funeral? Making sure she'll be buried properly and not being shunned for the way she ended her life? He wasn't thinking of **_her_**. He was thinking only of himself. He couldn't live without her and so he took his own life, without a second thought to **_her_**. _He was thinking only of himself_. He was selfish, weak and cowardly," she said heatedly.

Darien's stony expression matched his stony tone. He hadn't missed her double entendre, "Interesting interpretation of what most considered to be a romantic gesture," he said drily.

"What's romantic about a selfish, cowardly act? **_She_** at least made an effort to be with him. It was genius. It was clever. It would have worked too, if **_he_** had had faith in her. **_He _**should have had faith in her! It's not Murphy's Law at play, it's **_his _**lack of faith!" Mina argued passionately.

Elizabeth and Andrew were wide eyed, listening to her diatribe in utter fascination as she continued, "If he had loved her as he **_claimed_** to, then he'd **_know_** as lovers **_do_**, that she would **_never_** kill herself, that she would **_never_** have given up on their love, not while there was still the tiniest chance in hell that they could still end up together. And even if they **_couldn't_** end up together, **_he_** should have known that she **_still_** wouldn't have killed herself, knowing that **_that_** would surely destroy **_him_**. He should have known that **_she_** would **_never_** have hurt him in that way! In **_any_** way! He should have known, should have had faith, in **_her_**, in **_her love_**."

There was a hideous weight on his chest as her message came through. She might as well have hit him over the head with a hammer. His heart tripped and bled and his mouth went dry.

Even though his expression remained cool, Mina saw the pain in his eyes before that too were hidden away. _He's not unaffected_, she thought, studying him, noting **_his_** loss of weight and the slight shadow around his eyes, _He's suffering too, and hiding it just as **she** is. What a pair they make. Both suffering in silence. All because **he **is a_ **_stubborn mule_**, she thought with twin tugs of sympathy and impatience.

Even as she resisted the urge to kick him in the shin, Mina's voice gentled as she finished her interpretation of the much-celebrated tale, "Him not having faith in her, him killing himself, that's the ultimate betrayal. And I think it's **_that_** ultimate betrayal that caused her to take her own life. In the end, it wasn't society or their warring family that ended their love. It was **_him_**. **_His_** weakness. **_His_** selfishness. **_ His_** betrayal."

Darien nodded. He definitely got her point, what she was trying to get across. Though his heart bled and broke from her words and accusation and **_especially_** from the implication that his beloved is suffering a great deal, though he didn't agree with her because **_he_**_ had **every **faith in Serena, _he took comfort in her obvious loyalty, devotion and love for his princess, knowing that whatever happened, this girl, leader of his princess's guardians, would be watching over, looking out for and would stand beside his Serena, even when **_he_** couldn't. But that didn't mean he'd let her know that. As such, Darien's voice was cool, his expression unmoved as he addressed her, "Well said. Worthy of the Scout of Love. But I believe it's getting late and I need to be going off now." As his emotions closed in and threatened to strangle him, he bade goodbye to Andrew and Elizabeth and just barely made his escape.

Mina made to follow him but Andrew was quicker, "That's enough for now Mina," he said quietly, grabbing her arm to stop her, "I know he hides it well, but he's in terrible pain right now," he said, completely torn between two people he loved very much, hurting for Darien, hurting for Serena, missing Serena, frustrated with Darien and worried about them both.

Mina pulled her arm away, "It's not enough! I **_know_** he's hurting! I **_can_** see it! But have **_you_** seen **_her_**?" she shouted as tears filled her eyes and grief and despair trembled in her voice.

Ignoring the utter pain in Andrew's eyes at her words, she turned and ran after Darien and caught him standing still, hands in his pockets, looking up at the stars, or maybe more accurately, the _moon_, desolately, half a block away.

"Don't," he whipped out the word and at the end of it, the lash was ice cold.

Ignoring him, "You used her insecurities to push her away. And despite that, she stayed. She had faith in your love. And then you pretended to go out with another girl, one she likes, _sister_ of someone she loves," Mina accused, very much on the mark.

"And **_still_** she loved you, forgave you. She **_continued_** to love you and forgive you even when you told her she's **_worthless_**, even when you pushed her aside **_callously_** and **_repeatedly_**, even when you **_broke_** her heart **_over and over again_**, **_crushed_** her heart to **_pieces_**, she's **_still_** in love with you. **_Stayed away_** from you because that's what **_you_** needed from her. **_Let you go_** in order to give **_you_** happiness. She doesn't even cry because she promised **_you_** she'd take care of herself, so **_you_** wouldn't worry, so**_ you_** wouldn't be weighed down with guilt over her, over her pain. I'm Sailor Venus, the **_princess _**of Venus, **_descendent_** of the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite herself, and I don't think even **_I_** could love anyone as much as **_she_** loves **_you_**. I don't think it's within my power," despair made her voice which was already hoarse with unshed tears went softer, but lifting her chin, Mina unflinchingly continued, "But to see relationships and emotions? To see the ties that bind people to one another? **_That_** is within my powers."

She lifted her hand and touched something in the air with her fingertips and a shimmer of silver line glowed brightly between them. She pulled lightly on the luminous thread and Darien felt the corresponding tug in his heart string.

"Silver threads join the hearts and souls of soul mates. This one begins from your heart. Guess where it ends?" she asked as her tears finally spilled.

In Darien's mind, he saw Serena, crashing into him as she ran to school, yelling at him not to call her Meatball Head, spelling her name for him to pronounce properly, laughing as she came to greet him, hugging him close to her as she breathed him in, so many pictures of her in his mind, cherished, treasured moments that he wouldn't trade for anything. And then, just as clearly, the image of his nightmares surfaced, Serena torn away from him, screaming for him to help her, in pain and agony, and finally, his beloved, lying cold and lifeless. Darien's already pale face went gray and his bleak eyes went dead as though the switch had been shut off. Even as the silver thread disappeared from his sight, he turned to walk away, not bothering to say anything, **_couldn't_** say anything. He had no defence, except that he wanted her **_safe_**, **_alive_**.

"You may be able to convince her and you can stand there lying through your teeth to me, to all of us, or walk away and pretend you don't care, but we both know that you love her. You love her **_so much_** that you chose to let her go, **_chose_** to let her go, to keep her safe, even when it pains you, even when it's killing you inside. I know, not only because I have the power to literally **_see_** emotions, and I **_can _**see your pain, but I also know, because in your place, that's what I would've done too, given the circumstances. But since I'm **_not_** in your shoe, I **_can_** see things more clearly and I'm telling you that you're making a mistake. What you're doing is hurting her **_more_** than anyone **_ever has_** or **_ever will_**, because there is **_no one_** she loves, **_more_** than she loves you.**_ You_**, Darien Shields, are a fool!"

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Posted on fanfiction: **23 June 2013**

**A/N:** Hmm... Did I just ruin **_Romeo & Juliet_** for everyone? Don't get me wrong, I love Shakespeare as much as the next person, I think the man is brilliant. **_A Midsummer Night's Dream_**, **_As You Like It_**, **_Much Ado About Nothing_**, **_The Taming of the Shrew _**and **_Twelfth Night _**are some of my favourites! But I hate **_Romeo & Juliet_**. What waste of lives, in my opinion! Mina's diatribe is well, my own personal interpretation of the famous tale.

Ironic isn't it that Mina would use this approach? But I thought who better than the Scout of Love herself to analyse 'Love' to such a level and to use **_Romeo & Juliet_** as her weapon of choice. Next up will be **Lita's Lashing** and I think it's pretty obvious that **_my_** weapons of choice are sarcasms and logic (quite like Mina's and Amy's). The Scout of Thunder on the other hand, will strike with her fists! ;)

On another note, longest chapter for this fiction! Told you I write faster with my snippets and I get **_more_** snippets with **_more_** reviews! ;)


	9. Avenging Guardians (b): Lita's Lashing

**A/N:** Okay people, a couple of days after it was posted, I went back and edited the previous chapter slightly, so those who read the chapter before the 25th of June might want to reread it. No change in the plot, just a few lines added in here and there for added effect. So it's still okay if you don't want to either! ;) To my wonderful reviewers of the previous chapter:

**Princess Seraphina88:** Thanks! I think Darien was already feeling guilty enough. It's more to get him to see reason. But Mina definitely gave it to both Darien and Andrew, didn't she? I hope you like Lita's chapter! ;) **Nich31:** Thank you! I'm glad you thought so! ;) **Rose:** Thank you! I'm glad my writing brightened up your day. Your reviews brightened up mine! A hug and a kiss for you as well! By the way, was I right about your name? ;) **Puffgirl1952:** LOL. May I know just how many happy faces the six are out of? ;) **trish1573:** Oh, read the leather bound book! I prefer real books to kindle. There's just something about the texture and the smell. As for sympathy for Darien, I'm actually aiming for understanding. I want the readers to sympathise but more than that, I want my readers to see his point of view. He's being stupid and stubborn but it wasn't out of malice nor was it out of selfishness.** Moonprincess998: **Thanks! I'm glad you thought so! It was meant to hit something in Darien! :) **James Birdsong:** Thank you! Glad you thought so James Birdsong! :) **bunny88rosemagic: **Thanks! I'll try my very best! ;) **SerenityShield:** LOL. Thanks! I'm glad you like my portrayal of Mina. I think Serena is lucky to have her. Also, in the anime, I saw her as the only Scout who doesn't judge or put Serena down and it made her my favourite! :) **Loca8892:** Oh wow! Now you've got me rather nervous! Action and violent scenes are not really my forte but I'll try my very best. I'll apologise in advance though, just in case it's not as violent as you imagined! :) **Emily: **LOL. Nope! I wasn't kidding! I'm glad you agree with me! Thanks! :) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Coming your way! **Shaydoe:** I'm glad you thought so Shay! Thank you! Mina's easiest for me to write for some reason. I feel like I know her and the words came easy. I'll try my very best. It's for you after all! ;) **Amydali86: **Thanks! I love your stories and I see we both used Shakespeare in our stories and have a certain fondness for HF Burnett as well! Hmm...in the words of LM Montgomery, you may be another kindred spirit! ;) **SailorMoonForever:** I'm glad! Well, Mr Shields is very strong willed, and he's got quite a bit in store for him! LOL. As usual, you're quite right. It's all for one and one for all with these girls! ;) Oh I really hope you like this chapter. You'll let me know either way right? **l1s44p: **Yeay! Someone else agrees with me! Thank you! Please tell me you prefer Helena to Hermia? ;) **Dark-Huntress Sam:** LOL. Thanks! Your wish, my command! Enjoy! :)

Without further ado, I give you the second part of **Avenging Guardians**.

**Thoughts are in **_Italics__**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Come Back to Me (Part 5(b): Avenging Guardians: Lita's Lashing)**

Monday morning and Darien didn't feel like getting up, didn't feel like going for classes either. He didn't feel like doing anything. His body ached, his heart ached. His chest heavy, his spirit low.

"What you're doing is hurting her _more_ than anyone _ever has_ or _ever will_, because there is _no one_ she loves, _more_ than she loves _you_," Mina's parting words played over and over again and had made their way into his dreams at night where he kept seeing Serena on the ground begging him to give her a chance.

"Why won't you tell me what I did wrong? I'm _begging_ you. Tell me what I have to change to get you to love me again," she had implored brokenly at his feet exactly eight weeks ago as she begged him on her knees not to leave her.

Her face flashed back into his mind until he was sick with regret and guilt. Her shattered eyes had etched themselves permanently there and he saw them when he closed his eyes and even when they were open. There was a space just under his tattered heart that felt completely hollowed out.

_God, I miss her. I miss her so much. What am I going to do?_ Missing her was eating him alive, every bit as much as the guilt of hurting her. He woke up each morning wondering what she was doing. He went to bed each night to the sound of her voice on his answering machine. He'd tossed restlessly on his bed as rage and guilt and misery battled in him at the thought of her before the usual nightmare claimed him and he'd wake up sweating with fear that the nightmare had come true and she was gone. _I have to keep her safe! I have to stay away!_

His mouth was set as he pushed the door to the arcade open late that afternoon. Andrew had threatened to stop covering for him at school and won't even bother collecting his assignments for him anymore if he remained holed up in his apartment. Not that he cared for his studies that much these days but Darien was determined to resolve the threat to Serena as implied by the nightmares and no matter _how long_ or _whatever_ it was going to take him, the _minute_ he did, he was going to win her back. By all that is holy, he was going to beg her forgiveness and he was going to win her back. And when he did, they'd be together again and they would marry the moment she was old enough and he was determined to be able to provide for her and present her with everything her heart desire when they do. And for _that_, he needed his education. He _needed_ to get into medical school and for _that_ to happen, he couldn't afford a suspension much less an expulsion on his record.

As he stepped into the arcade and started towards Andrew, a furious Elizabeth slapped a hand on his chest, "You used me!"

With both hands, she shoved him back, "You _selfish_, _heartless _excuse for a friend! _How_ could you?"

"Take it easy, Lizzie." Even as Andrew spoke, the keen edge of Elizabeth's gaze cut to him, raked over his face.

The fist in Andrew's stomach squeezed tight. His little sister hadn't spoken a word to him since Saturday night when she had finally figured out that Darien was the guy that Mina was talking about who broke Serena's heart and the implication of that knowledge had hit her hard. Now she was looking at him with so much resentment, it was all he could do not to flinch. So he held up both hands in a gesture of surrender.

Not in the least mollified, Elizabeth rounded on him, "Don't _you_ tell me to take it easy!" she jabbed him on the chest over the counter, "You're my _brother_. I'm your _sister_. How could you just _stand by_ and_ let _him _used me_ to hurt someone else you claimed to love like a sister?!"

She pushed at Andrew and shoved at Darien again and continued angrily, "_You_ made Serena think that we were together. You both _watched_ as she welcomed me and treated me like a friend, introduced her friends to me, _share_ them with me. _You both watched_ as her best friends made room for me in their group, treated me with respect, spent time with me, laughed with me, _never once_ making me feel bad or left out or like an outsider an yet _all the while_, they must've thought that I was responsible for her heartbreak, for hurting her, for stealing her boyfriend!"

His own emotions were a bit too raw for reason, "Neither Andrew nor I, ever said _anything_ to _anyone_ about you and I being together. They drew their own conclusions. You can hardly blame either one of us for it," Darien drawled out drily.

Elizabeth snarled like a virago, "You didn't _need_ to say anything, did you? You _implied_ by your actions and I was too stupid to realise it, wasn't I?" She rammed an elbow viciously into Darien's midsection. Her eyes scorched both Darien and Andrew in turn before she stepped back. "Why don't you both take a long walk off of a short pier," she tossed out scathingly as she stomped off to walk out of the arcade.

Andrew let out a long breath, glancing wearily around, "Alright everyone, that was fun, wasn't it? The show was free but I'm afraid it's over. So, back as you were."

"You better hold that thought, Drew," Darien said unconsciously rubbing his stomach, a slight frown on his face as he glanced and spotted another fierce face that would make Elizabeth's looked like a harmless kitten's entering the arcade just as Andrew's younger sister was leaving.

When Lita entered the arcade and walked determinedly towards him, Darien stood still, arms at his side and took the blow he saw coming, full in the face. "Okay you _moron_. You and I, we're having words. Right after I beat some sense into you!"

As he was launched back against the counter, Darien thought it was like being hit by a battering ram. He tasted blood in his mouth and even as he dabbed at it with the back of one hand while the other braced himself on the counter, the battering ram struck again as Lita clipped him hard enough to send him sprawling on the floor if not for his superhero strength. As it were, his vision wavered for a few moments so that he saw several Lita with fists bunched in front of her in a fighting stance.

"Just who the hell do you think you are?" she shouted, arrows of resentment shot out of her green eyes.

As she swung out again, Andrew who had hurriedly came from behind the counter lunged towards her and caught her around the waist just in time. "Hold on. Just hold the hell on," he ordered, his own patience running thin.

"I'm surprised it took you this long," Darien commented tersely, appearing unaffected even as his stomach pitched violently inside. He tucked his hands in his pockets as he straightened up. If she was going to plant another fist on him, he'd just as soon she gets it over with. It's less than he deserved anyway and a long time in coming. He doubted the brunette Scout of Thunder could hate him anymore than he hated himself.

"For goodness sake, don't provoke her, Darien!" Andrew grunted out as he hefted Lita off her feet while she cursed at him, "Lita!" he was scolding and pleading at the same time, "This is a public place."

And then sighing he dropped the brunette, "At least take it into the backroom," he motioned, defeated as he acknowledged to himself that this was inevitable.

Though her fists remained bunched, Lita lowered them a fraction before dropping them to her side altogether. "Fine!" she huffed and shoved by them both towards the backroom that was Andrew's 'sort of' office. But before she took her next step, her fist shot out quick as lightning, found its target and had Darien's head snapping back once again. She followed through with a short arm jabbed to the stomach that had Darien's breath came out in a hiss. Smiling now, she turned and walked into the backroom. Darien followed behind her and shut the door close on Andrew's face.

"Go ahead," Darien said wryly, "I'm not going to hit back."

"Oh, you aren't, are you?" she drilled a finger into his chest and sneered derisively, "And why is that? Could it be because you know what a _moron_ you are?"

He could feel temper fighting to get out of his gut and into his throat but said nothing.

Lita shoved him back a step, "Answer me, damn you!"

As she moved to shove him again, she registered the slight wince of pain as her fist accidentally bumped his shoulder. Her eyes narrowed, "What have you done?"

"I thought you've established that I was being a moron." The voice was rigidly pleasant and didn't fool Lita for a second, "I hit you on the face and the stomach and you barely winced. What happened to your shoulder?"

Darien wiggled his aching jaw, touched it and almost did wince from the pain radiating out of it. "I imagine both my ribs and kidney are probably bruised from how sore they feel."

"Take off your shirt," she commanded.

He worked up a leer, "I thought you were here to make sure I treat _Serena_ right. How does getting my clothes off with _you_ accomplish that?"

Undaunted, Lita simply reached up and ripped his shirt open...and froze.

"Hey." He really shouldn't forget that the Scouts were as fast as he was, if not more so.

The dinner plate size purple bruising on his shoulder covered a recovering wound that was raw and angry.

Lita made a little sound of distress and turned away from the sight. She paced and stared at the wall until reason could make its way through the haze of temper. Taking a deep breath, she swung back towards him, "She kept herself safe to keep her promise to you. Forced me to train her _harder_, _forced_ me to _fight_ her so that she'd be a better fighter, so that she could keep her promise to _you_, so that she isn't_ less_ than what _you _expect. Please tell me that you haven't risked yourself and made all her sacrifices for nothing," her words came out slowly and her voice was quiet.

Emotions all but strangled him. Needing to move, Darien went to the locker where he knew Andrew kept a spare shirt. But when he had the locker opened, he just stared off into it for a moment, lost in his own thoughts.

"I hardly think it was for nothing. Just because I don't join you in your fights anymore, does not mean that I've washed off my hands of my duties to protect," he murmured out sardonically as he turned back to face Lita. _She,_ he believed, _doesn't need to know _that he had been patrolling and scouring the city every night since the incident with _Hypnotica_ in his effort to keep his princess safe by getting to the enemies before the Scouts could as much as possible. He had also been hunting Rubeus and the Ayakashi Sisters, hoping that one of them could shed some light into the nightmares he had been having. The mark on his shoulder was from a direct confrontation with the red head that seemed to be leader of their current enemies a few nights ago, even before his night at the theatre with Mina two days ago.

Lita stared at him incredulously, "You've been fighting with your _roses_? With _no_ back up?" she asked as worry twisted painfully with temper. Her eyes flashed, a dangerous edgy glint, "Taking _unnecessary_ risk? You _selfish _cow! You _reckless_ baboon! How _dare_ you risk yourself! How dare you when she put aside all _her_ happiness for _yours_!"

Darien swallowed in a futile attempt to wash the bitterness from his throat, "I didn't ask her for any sacrifice nor was I risking my life. I have other gifts that you aren't aware of. Just as she is the Moon Princess, I am the Prince of Earth. I was merely doing my duty. As I believe, were all of you," he said in complete apathy that completely belied the turmoil within. _My duty is to keep her safe. I'd do **anything** to keep her safe_._ Even if it means risking my life_!

The fierce look on his face _almost_ scared her. But it was the blaze in his eyes that had her almost recoiling. For the first time in her life, the courageous Lita felt the punch of fear. She backed up a step, all but hearing her nerves fray. And then the face of an unhappy blonde appeared in her minds eyes, a face so dear to her it made her stood her ground and lifted her chin defiantly, letting out what had been grinding inside her, "Serena's my best friend. She taught me the meaning of true friendship, one that endures and is unconditional. If she loves someone, she'd give them everything she had. Even if they had _wanted_ or _needed _more, she'd find it and give that too. It's the way she loves. It's the only way she knows how. She _loves_ you. More than _anyone_, _she loves you_. Right now, she's holding on by her fingernails and she'll _keep_ holding on, if only to keep her promise to you. So, don't you dare say that you didn't ask her for any sacrifice! You asked her, just by **_being_**!"

She felt the tears welled up and blinked them furiously away. "Something I noticed that we have in common, you and I, is that we are both self sufficient. We don't need anyone, do we? But _she_ came along, opened the doors and showed me that life doesn't have to be faced alone. Before _her_, I didn't have anyone else to stand up for nor did I have anyone who would stand up for _me_. Without _her_, I wouldn't have known what it is to need and be needed, what it is to love and be loved, trust and be trusted. I would've missed out on a lot. I would've missed out on _living_. Now, tell me she doesn't have the same effect on you."

Darien stared blandly at Lita. His hands were in his pockets and there was no expression on his face to betray his feelings, "She did. Which is why I _was_ with her. People fall out of love all the time," he said without feelings.

_She still does! Which is why I'll find a way to be with her again. Hell will freeze over before fall out of love with her! I will **never** stop loving her! I will **never** stop being in love with her_, his heart cried out passionately at the same time.

"Now, if there's nothing else and you're not inclined to beat me up anymore, we'd better get out of here before Andrew hyperventilate himself into passing out."

Darien started to leave but stopped abruptly at the door. His breath caught in his throat at his first glimpse of Serena in weeks. For a moment, his mind went dead. Utterly dead. As though the switch had been shut off. He couldn't feel his hands, his feet, his heart. Then, a lump of emotions swelled in his chest as he stood there mesmerised. The faint sound of her voice talking quietly to Andrew was so sweet it was all he could do not to rush out there and pull her into his arms and never let her go again. She looked so heartbreakingly, _vulnerably_ beautiful that he ached to hold her, carry her away from everything and lose himself in her, to kiss her and touch her and caress her, to heal her pain, ask her forgiveness. Yet, with everything he had put her through, he didn't feel worthy of even_ looking_ at her, let alone speaking to her or touching her. He fisted his hands in his pockets to keep them from reaching for her and used every ounce of will he had to keep his feet from running to her.

Lita watched as Darien stood staring after Serena like a man recently struck by lightning, face full of longing and misery, eyes full of love and agony. She studied his face now, looked beyond herself and into him. Guilt, fear, worry, frustration, pain and love, **_so much_ **love and **_longing_ **shone through now that he was caught unaware. _All that_, she thought. _All that in him for her. He truly does love her after all. _

"So, you don't love her, huh?" she asked quietly and watched the anguish that burned in his eyes, on his face, in the set of his body.

The dazed look cleared from Darien's eyes and still they feasted on his love, noting her face that was too pale and too thin, "She's lost more weight and look pale enough to see through," he said quietly, as though talking to himself, still not taking his eyes off Serena, absorbing every detail, the silky, lustrous golden hair, the cerulean blue eyes that seemed calm and content until you looked closer and saw the heartbreak beneath.

"How did you let her get this bad?" he asked accusingly under his breath, his eyes remained on Serena.

"Excuse me?" Lita shoved him back a step. "Me? **_I_** let her get this bad?" her green eyes were burning hot now as she hissed the words out, careful not to draw the attention of her best friend.

Darien hardly noticed Lita's hissed words and jabbing fingers as his eyes stayed on Serena, hungrily savouring and treasuring his fill of her, until she kissed Andrew's cheek and left a moment later, carrying his heart with her.

Unable to clamp down on his emotions, he whirled back towards Lita, his eyes icy blue and furious, "You are her _guardians_. It is your **_duty_** to protect her. There are _shadows_ under her eyes thick enough for a bunch of thieves to hide in! How could you let her get this bad?"

Lita threw out her arms. "**_We_** didn't do this to her. **_You_** did! When you called her _worthless_! When you said you didn't love her anymore! When you broke her heart and her pride and her spirit!"

"**_Of course_** I love her! How can I not, _for goodness sake_? She's my _soul mate_! My _life!_ My _everything_!"

"You _broke up _with her!"

"To keep her safe! Do you think she would've stayed away if I told her that I _still_ love her? I had to make her believe that she means nothing to me. It was the only way to get her to stay away until I can figure this out!"

"Then why are you telling _me_ this? What makes you think I won't tell her? My loyalty is to _her_ and not to you!"

Darien looked at Lita caustically, "Exactly. Your loyalty _is_ to her. You also _love_ her. You know that if you told her that I _do_ still love her, she'd come running back to me. You also know that if she does that, I'd just deny everything and it will hurt her _even more_. You love her every bit as much as I do. You _can't stand _to see her hurt. You won't tell her," he said matter-of-factly.

Boiling inside with defeat, _knowing_ he was right, Lita replied scathingly, "Correction. I love her **_more_** than you do. Because apparently, **_you_** can stand to see her hurt. In fact, you have no qualms whatsoever in being the one to hurt her the most! Break her heart. Break **_her_**!" she said angrily as she stomped out of the room leaving behind a broken prince, every bit as broken as his princess.

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Posted on fanfiction: **9 July 2013**

**A/N:** Confrontation, harsh words and physical violence does not come naturally for me to write as they are so against my nature and not situations I'm familiar with. But I did my best and I hope it turned out convincing and natural enough. Surprisingly, this is my longest chapter in **CBTM** which is almost as long as an average chapter of **TOBITF**.

Before anyone comment on it, I'm sorry if I disappointed some of you by not making Darien out to be the villain that some may want him to be. But I really think the anime blazed through the breakup without giving his character (or any of the Scouts) a fair treatment.

Next up will be **Raye's Regret**. Again, I'm not making Raye out to be a villain either. You can't help how you feel after all, only what you do about the feelings you have. But **YES**, Raye will lay her heart down for Darien (so that she'll have no regrets. Please don't hate me for this.). The outcome of it? Haha...wait and see! ;) The more positive encouraging reviews I get, the more inclined I am to start writing, because truly, I haven't felt like writing these couple of weeks and the only reason I forced myself to write anyway was because I felt guilty to those who followed, favourited and reviewed.


	10. Avenging Guardians (c): Raye's Regret

**A/N:** Wow! Over 20 reviews in less than 3 days! I get that with **TOBITF** several times but this is a first for **CBTM**! Thanks so much everyone! This story has much less favourites and responses than any of my other stories that I thought I was doing a poor job on it and was feeling bad since I wrote it for **Shaydoe** and she's so special to me. But reading all the wonderful reviews with so many kind words made me feel much better!

**Puffgirl1952:** LOL. You didn't answer my question, how many happy faces are the 6 out of? After all, 6 out 5 is great but 6 out of 10 is only average! ;) **Adoore:** LOL. You really don't think I've made Darien suffer enough? Well, I can definitely accommodate you on that as there **_will_** be more suffering for him. As for another guy to show him how to treat her right, I'm afraid there won't be any in this fic. But there are a few S/Alan and S/Seiya scenes and more coming up in **TOBITF**. I'm afraid the next S/D moment in **CBTM** would only come in the last chapter (2 chapters away). I think the wait would be worth it though! I also have an idea for an epilogue where Serena will get her 'sort of' pay back! ;) **trish1573: **Oh! I'm so glad! I think Raye's chapter may push you back into not liking Darien but I'm determined to make you forgive him! ;) I know I should rest a bit and I will, but yup, I really do feel guilty thinking of my readers when I don't write for too long. You're the sweetest friend! :) **kera69love:** Of course you may! Here you go! ;) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Thanks! Here it comes! ;) **alPhha: **Thanks! I'm glad you thought so! I thought it was common ground between Lita/D and used it to my advantage. :) **PrincessAnnastacia:** Thanks! I'm glad! LOL. Read on and find out! ;) **Moonprincess998: **Wow! Thank you! S&D will get back together after Amy's chapter. Not too long now! :) **l1s44p: **Yeay! And yes, GO Lita! :) **SerenityShield:** Wow! I was trying to get Darien's POV in because I think that the anime didn't do him justice. I'm glad you agreed with me. :) Such high praises! Thank you! **naughtygirl: **LOL. Well, I'm glad you decided to read anyway! There **_will_** be a happy ending. In fact, it's already written! ;) **Emily: **Yes, Mars will lead with passion and Mercury will lead with calm logic. You're most welcome. Thank you so much for such a lovely review! It's the best compliment to a writer when their writing touched someone's heart. :) **Rose: ** Your reviews **_always_** leave me smiling! Such an amazing show of support and faith in little old me! I can't thank you enough! ;) **Starrlight1812: **Welcome to **CBTM**! Thank you for the words of encouragement, they mean a lot! I'm not sure I'm worthy of the compliment, but I'll try my best to live up to it! ;) **Jen A**: Thank you for making an exception and for reviewing this story! I really appreciate the thought and your kind words. I'll definitely finish all my stories! It's the **_when_** that might be the problem. But I'll give it my best shot. ;) **kbtjmandy:** A familiar name! Welcome to **CBTM**! I hope you'll enjoy it as much as you do **TOBITF**. ;) **Loca8892:** Oh, thank goodness! I thought I might disappoint you! I'm glad you approve and hope Raye's chapter won't disappoint either. Raye (in the anime) annoys me too, sometimes. ;) **Pheonix Evans: **I'm really glad you found this story! Welcome! And you're welcome! :) **Nibs98:** LOL. First time someone said I'm good at making them cry! But in this context, I'll take that as a compliment, a beautiful compliment. Thanks for your show of support and I hope you'll stick with this story to the very end! ;) **SailorMoonForever:** Hahaha! You can't ask me to rest with kitty eyes and then ask me to write! One would contradict the other! But oh, I do love you and your reviews! ;) **Amydali86:** Thank you! I'm glad. ;) **Nich31:** Oh no! I'm not quitting. I just seem to have lost my drive. So, I kind of have to force myself to write. I promised my readers that I'll finish all my stories and I always keep my word. But without the drive, the writing slows down. I won't stop though. Promise! ;)

Thanks so much everyone! All of you above, those who favourite, followed and even those of you who took the time to read without reviewing. Thanks! ;)

Alright then, on with the third part of **Avenging Guardians** and I hope it lives up to everyone's expectation!

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Come Back to Me (Part 5(c): Avenging Guardians: Raye's Regret)**

As soon as he was alone, Darien plopped down onto the sofa and remained seated dejectedly, staring off into space. He heard Andrew's incoming footsteps, and immediately felt his temples throb at the prospect of having to deal with his best friend. He even imagined sneaking out like a thief and making a run for his apartment.

Andrew entered his 'sort of' office and seeing the state that Darien was in, he rushed towards his best friend, annoyance forgotten, "What on earth did she do to you?" he gasped.

"You mean besides punching me in the face a few times?"

"Your shirt is torn! And what did she do to your shoulder?"

Darien cursed silently. The argument with Lita had him more frazzled than he thought. He had completely forgotten about his torn shirt. He got up and went back to Andrew's open locker and answered his friend tersely, "Nothing. She's not responsible for my shoulder," as he changed into Andrew's spare shirt.

"Are you going to explain that?" Andrew demanded.

"No, not really," Darien answered in a mild tone that belied the gleam in his eyes.

"So that's it then? You're not going to tell me anything?" Fuelled by frustration, fury flooded through the usually amiable Andrew, gushing through his blood, "I love Rena. And I haven't seen her in ages. I feel like a _traitor_,and you're not going to tell me _anything_? _At all_?"

Because he could see the misery underlying the temper and because Andrew was his best friend, Darien relented, "It's not something I can tell you, Drew. And at least you **_do_** get to see her. Hear her voice. Wasn't she just here a moment ago?" Envy tinged his voice.

Andrew sighed. He felt so torn, so frustrated and he hurt for his two friends. Running his fingers through his hair, he kept his eyes on Darien's, "Sit down. I'm going to get you an ice pack and some coffee. Your eyes are starting to swell and there's a bruise forming on your jaw."

"I'm going home."

"Sit down."

Resigned, Darien sat back on the sofa. When Andrew came back, he placed the ice pack into Darien's hand and the cup of coffee on the table in front of his friend and made himself comfortable, preparing to give his best friend a long overdue talking to.

Darien's hands shook slightly when he lifted his coffee cup. Watching Serena and seeing what the break up had done to her had left him feeling hopeless, helpless and useless. He detested the emptiness and the helplessness that lurked inside of him that made him want to raise his fist and pummel. He could feel temper eating at the misery now, like a hot bite. He wanted desperately to pull himself back from the violence raging inside of him. He needed the calm and reason to be able to sort through the problem and yet he wanted so badly to heave the cup against the wall, to break it, break everything he could reach. Beat them. Smash them. _Later_, he promised himself, later he'd find a way to vent at least a part of this terrible rage clawing inside him.

Over at the shrine, Raye sat in front of the sacred fire. Serena's words played in her mind. "I was wrong about him loving me. Maybe you were wrong about him not loving you. You should go for it, for him. He's lonely Raye. He needs someone to be there for him. If it can't be me, maybe it can be you. At the very least Raye, you'll know for sure. There'll be no regrets, no 'what ifs'," her princess had said.

_How the hell am I supposed to deal with that? And how could I possibly ignore it?_ She scrubbed her hand hard over her face and prepared to meditate. _Please Sacred Fire, show me where he is_.

She opened her eyes to the sight of Tuxedo Mask leaping between buildings and finally headed to a remote area surrounded by huge trees in the park.

The rage he had managed to chain down while with Andrew was threatening to snap free. He wanted to use his fists on something. Pound them until his arms screamed for rest. Riding on rage, Darien detransformed and attacked the nearest tree.

His fists were fast and brutal. With each punch, his anger grew, spreading through him like cancer. The tree became the source of his misery, the unknown enemy. He battered at it with a concentrated rage that bloomed into hate. Each time his fist hit the target and the power of the collision sang up his arm, he felt nothing but dark, deadly satisfaction. He pounded and pounded as the black haze of hate narrowed his vision. He kept on pounding even as his knuckles went raw and dripped with blood.

When Sailor Mars found him, Darien was standing alone in the dark, his head tipped back, as if looking up at the sky. More than a few trees surrounding him were battered.

Raye detransformed and watched him silently, trying to think where to begin when all she wanted to do was fling herself into his arms to soothe the tension radiating out of him. She had rehearsed a dozen approaches, a dozen opening lines, all of them designed to let her share his troubles with him. She had thought of demanding, of reasoning, of pleading. It had disgusted her that she had even considered using tears to weaken his resistance. But now that the moment was finally upon her, she didn't know where to begin.

She took a step out of the dark and saw him stiffen the instance she spoke. "Darien." He didn't even turn his head to look at her, just kept on staring at the lacklustre moon, a sure sign his princess was hurting. Rage had passed, leaving him raw and empty.

Raye finally couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"What are you doing Darien?"

"I owe _you_ no explanation."

As he turned to her, he saw her face, the ripple of hurt that had her flinching as if he had slapped her before she shut it down so that her eyes went flat as she stood and studied him. And still he felt no remorse. He felt nothing.

Raye's heart clogged in her throat when she saw the state he was in, bloodied hands, bloodied sweaty shirt, slight swelling and blackening around both eyes and a bruise on his jaw. Taking a deep bracing breath, she remarked as casually as she could, "You look awful."

"Thanks for the bulletin."

_No smile_, she noted, _not even a sarcastic one_. No glimmer of warmth or anger, not even irritation. Just nothing at all.

Her chin angled in a challenge. "You may not owe _me_ an explanation, but you owe _her_ one."

He simply lifted an eyebrow and stared coolly, "Last I checked, you're not her."

"Have you seen her? Do you have any idea what you've done to her?"

A hard ball of ice dropped in his belly. Where for Raye there was nothing, for Serena there was too much of everything, regret, sorrow, longing and pain, _so much pain_ and remorse.

He stepped towards her, intending on nudging her aside. She shoved him back.

"Careful, Raye," temper licked around the edges of his warning.

"Or what? You'll fight me?" she shifted her stance, crooked her finger, "Come on then."

"I don't have time to waste on you."

"No time to waste on me?" Her colour drained and her body went still, "I love you and you have _no time to waste on_ _me_?"

"Love me?" Darien looked at Raye incredulously.

Her knees were buckling. To steady herself, she drew in air. Whatever the humiliation, she would say what she came to say. "I'm in love with you, Darien."

"How can you, when you don't even know me?"

His response, given so offhandedly caused a quick and nasty slice in her heart.

"Of course I know you! I know you as well as Serena does!"

"No Raye. You've known me _almost as long_ as Serena has. **_Nobody_** knows me as well as Serena does, not even Andrew and **_he_** had known me longer than anyone, in _this_ life time anyway." It stole her breath away, the light disgust in his voice, the disinterest in his eyes.

She swiped down at tears she had just realised streamed down her cheeks. Frustration flickered over the tension in her face. Desperation scraped at her. So she lashed out instead, "Fine! I've known you almost as long as Serena has but all the two of you ever did before you got your memories of the Silver Millennium back was **_argue_**. You and I had conversations! We _went out_ before you got your memories back! How can you say that I don't know you? If I don't, then neither does she!"

"It takes two interested parties, both talking and listening, to have a _real_ conversation. With us, it was you talking and asking questions and I answered when I had to. It was the _polite_ thing to do. Serena and I may have been yelling at one another, but I **_promise_** you, I heard **_every_** word she said and I'll bet my life that she heard every word **_I_** said. When Serena and I argue with each other, I learned how to push her over the edge, how to get her to back down, how to cheer her up, how to distract her from her problems, what made her laugh and what made her cry. I also learned what her favourite things were and what caused her to be disgruntled. I learned what mattered most to her, her dreams, her fears and her insecurities. I even learned her daily routines from our daily arguments. And she learned the same about me." Raye was struck dumb, for there was scorn underlying Darien's even gaze, a depth of scorn that made her feel flayed.

"Do _you_ know what my dreams and fears are, Raye? What makes me laugh or what brings me down?"Darien asked, almost derisively.

The hurt was so sharp, so sudden, she couldn't even gasp. Raye had an errant thought that it would be only too easy to hate Serena if she didn't love her so much. And then she remembered. There were times when she **_did _**hate Serena and they were **_all_** over this man standing in front of her, breaking her heart like she was nothing, breaking Serena's heart like _she _was nothing.

"You and I went out _before_ you got your memories back! The two of you only started getting along _after_ you both got your memories back! **_After_** you found out that she's the Moon Princess!" The anger in her tone, contrasted with the calm in his, and made her feel foolish.

Darien decided that full disclosure was in order, "We didn't '_went out_' together, Raye. Not on 'dates', at least not as far as I was concerned. I only knew you considered our 'outings' to be 'dates' after Andrew teased me about it. But the truth is I thought you asked me as a favour or as a friend and I only said yes because you were Serena's friend and you seemed lonely. I didn't want to hurt your feelings because you mattered to her and **_she_** mattered to me. And I guess I also said yes to get a rise out of her. There wasn't much I wouldn't do to get her attention. I don't feel that way about you Raye. I never have and I never will. It's only her I love. Always have been and always will be. Only her," he said simply.

The Senshi of Fire suddenly felt so cold, _so _cold that it penetrated her bones. Hurt, unbelievably hurt, she mopped at tears with her fingers.

Looking at Raye's horror stricken face, a slight sympathy stirred his conscience. "You may think you love me, but you don't. You can't really love someone you don't know. What you feel for me is no more than an infatuation. You don't know the real me. You loved an _image_ of me that you had in your head, almost the same way a fan love a movie star."

"But _she_ knows you. And _she_ loves you." Raye said desperately, not quite sure herself whether she was stating the fact or asking him if that was his point.

"Yes, she does," Darien answered dejectedly.

"Well then, _she_ has a right to you, doesn't she?"

"No. She doesn't have **_a_** right to me. She has **_every_** right to me. I **_belong_** to her, Raye, in **_every_** way. If you had spoken to Mina, she would tell you about the silver threads that joined soul mates. _Serena_ is my soul mate. My other half. She completes me."

Raye gasped. "But your soul bond has been broken! Serena hasn't been able to sense you. Not since the break up! You hadn't been able to sense her either! If you had been able to, you'd know she was in trouble during that battle with _Hypnotica_."

"She hasn't been able to sense me because I had blocked her just prior to breaking up with her. It was the only way I could be sure that she'd believe me when I lied and told her that I don't love her anymore. _I'm_ not able to sense her because she did the same. Blocked me, I imagined to keep me from sensing her pain, to keep me from feeling guilty and to set me free," Darien responded easily. And then tilting his head and studying her a moment, "Tell me, Raye. In her place, would you have done the same? Let me go because it's what **_I_** needed, without resentment? Forgive me despite everything I've done, and love me all the same?"

"I **_did_** let you go! I let you be with her! I gave you up and remained your friend!" It hurt. The sardonic look on his face caused a deep throbbing ache in the pit of her stomach, a slow twisting twinge in her heart.

"Ah, but was it all for me? Or was it more for yourself? To stay invulnerable, to keep your pride? The arguments I used to have with her, was my way of not letting her get too close. I didn't want to be vulnerable. And then later, I didn't tell her how I felt because I was afraid of her rejection. You saw me with her and your pride wouldn't risk the rejection, your heart won't accept being vulnerable or you would've told me how you felt because you're not as selfless as she is. You didn't let go, Raye. Instead, you lashed out at her, hurt her and put her down. And she took it. She took it because she loved you and she took it because **_no one_** is as selfless as she," Darien said cruelly but truthfully, "That's another reason we wouldn't have worked out. You and I, we are too much alike. We would end up destroying each other in the end. Serena? She saved us both. She's my salvation. Tell me she isn't yours."

"She is." The fact that she wanted to weep, to just curl up in a ball and wail, appalled her. Any show of sympathy, one kind word from him would break her. So she raised her head and stared defiantly at him. "If she is to you all that you said she is, what the hell are you doing, Darien? Breaking her heart over something you saw in a**_ dream_**?"

"How did you find me, Raye?"

Startled by the change of topic, "What does it matter?" she asked.

"How did you find me?" He repeated.

"The Sacred Fire showed me."

"And you believed it?"

"Of course I believed it!"

"Do you ever choose which vision the Sacred Fire gave you to believe and which to discard?"

Completely flabbergasted, "Of course not! The visions are up to interpretation. But the fire doesn't lie."

"So you came to find me here because of a vision you saw in a **_fire_**?"

Raye spluttered. "It's not the same! It's the _Sacred Fire_! Reading it is my gift!"

"And I have psychometric abilities. Extrasensory perception and reading dreams are _my_ gifts."

Understanding dawned and Raye hurt for him, for her best friend and for herself.

"One dream _led_ me to her before. How can I _ignore_ one _warning_ of her demise? I'm trying to keep her safe."

"You should have come to us. Amy could have helped with her minicomputer. Artemis and Luna may have invaluable insights and I would have consulted the Sacred Fire for you," Raye said quietly and turned to go. Her emotions already too raw and her control too strained, she strode away, had to force herself not to run.

"Lita punched me in the face earlier today, several times. Mina called me selfish and a coward to my face just over the weekend. Yet I can't fault either of them, for loving her, for standing up for her. I'm glad she has them. I thought she has you too. But minutes ago, there you were, one of her guardians, one of her best friends, taking advantage of her pain." Darien said quietly to her retreating back.

Raye felt her stomach tied in knots and all she could think about was Darien was right, she had done a terrible thing. Serena's heart is shattered. Her **_best friend_** is **_broken_ **and here she was taking advantage of the situation, doing something that would no doubt crush Serena further.

_She told me to give it a shot_. _She said its better that we both know_. Yet even through her inner monologue, even as her mind was rationalising her actions, her heart knew that she would never forget what she had done. Nor would she ever forgive herself. _Serena would_, her heart whispered, and knowing that to be true, shame washed up Raye's toes to the top of her head.

Darien stood with his battered hands in his pockets. He didn't feel guilt nor did he feel any pain. Perhaps it was because he told the truth. But more so, it **_felt_** right. It was the right thing to do. And Raye isn't Serena. Any pain he caused his love, **_always_**bounded back on him ten-fold. Hurting Serena, even inadvertently or jokingly so or even for her own good, **_always_** ended up bruising his heart. But Raye isn't Serena and he felt neither guilt nor pain. The headache and unsteady stomach that his temper had caused began to ease.

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Posted on fanfiction: **16 July 2013**

**A/N:** Andrew actually gave Darien something at the arcade and there was supposed to be a few more lines/paragraphs, ending this chapter with Darien on the floor as sorrow drowned him. But I'm too tired already and I thought I'd give both Darien and myself a break and save the scene for the next chapter. I really hope that I haven't ruined this chapter by doing so.

I'll be honest and say that while your reviews did cheer me up, I still don't feel much like writing. But this story is almost over and I promise I'll finish it. In fact I aim to finish it this month or at the latest by the middle of next month.

So, next up will be the last part of **Avenging Guardians**, titled **Amy's Advice** which will be followed by the last chapter which has already been written. I'm glad I wrote it before I got all moody and I think it's one of my fluffiest piece. ;)

For the record, my initial A/N and responses to your reviews were written on the 12th whilst this chapter itself was partly written then and partly written today. No, I'm not bipolar, even if I sometimes give that impression! ;)


	11. Avenging Guardians (d): Amy's Advice

**A/N:** Okay everyone, this chapter is mostly technical. I'm tying up the loose ends before ending the story with the next chapter. So it's not as dramatic as the previous chapter(s). I just thought I'd put it out there to avoid high expectations that would end up in disappointments. Also, I actually finished this chapter a few hours ago but accidentally shut my lappy down without saving it (I hate having to work on the bed!). So, almost the whole thing except for my response to your reviews which was written last week (edited only slightly today) had to be retyped from memory. Lucky I do have a good memory! :) Though, you'll have to forgive any typos since I'm too exhausted already. I'll get to it as soon as I can.

On another note, 25 reviews since the last update! Oh wow! Thanks ever so much! And thanks also to those who favourited, followed and even those of you who took the time to read without reviewing. Thanks! ;)

**kera69love:** I'm glad! Here's more! ;) **alPhha:** LOL. Actually the confession came to me in one of my snippets. I wrote the rest of the chapters around the confession which I break down into parts to insert emotions and gestures. I'm really glad you like it! Thanks! ;) **Lunar Cadet:** *cheeky grin* welcome to **CBTM**! LOL. I love your reviews! I'm glad you caught on to that. I **_was_** trying to cover the areas that I felt the anime left unexplored. Darien's pain will end in the next chapter which will be up soon! ;) **SailorMoonForever:** hahaha...I LOVE you! You're just so awesome and I'm glad everything's okay! Get some rest and start writing! *sick puppy eyes* **SerenityShield:** You're welcome! What a wonderful thing to say and I'm really glad you thought to say so! Thanks! ;) **Rose: **LOL. I won't stop writing. Maybe slow down a bit from time to time but I'll try not to stop. :) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Thanks. Here it comes! ;) **Moonprincess998: **Thanks! LOL. Unfortunately no Jadeite in this fic. Maybe a sequel? Hmm... **PrincessAnnastacia:** Thanks! I'll try my very best! ;) **Nich31:** Oh I'm so glad you thought so! Thank you!;) **Loca8892:** Whew! That's a relief! LOL. Unfortunately, due to time constrain, almost all my chapters are rushed in between my busy schedule. I guess I'm just really lucky it didn't show? ;) By the way, happy birthday in advance! **Amydali86: **Next chapter will be fluffy and happy. Promise! ;) **Puffgirl1952:** LOL. My first failing grade. EVER! Haha...I'm surprisingly okay with it! ;) **Shaydoe:** I don't know what to say. You know what you mean to me and your opinions and reviews, PRECIOUS! Thanks Shay! I LOVE you! ;) **l1s44p: **That is so true! I totally agree! ;) **Emily: **I think he did the right thing too! At least that's the way I saw it in my head. :) **kbtjmandy:** LOL. You know what came to mind when I read your review? So serious for **CBTM** and very light and cheerful for **TOBITF**! Just like the stories themselves! Thanks for your consistent support. It truly means a lot! :) **Nancy67:** Thanks! I'm glad you felt for Darien. I didn't think the anime did his character justice. As for Raye, I wanted to give her character closure over her infatuation with Darien which again was overlooked by the anime. **trish1573:** Thank you dear Trish! I really hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! ;)** heavensangel01:** Thanks! Here's more! Enjoy! ;) **nickybluejess: **Oh thank you for giving **CBTM** a chance! Here's more! I hope you like! ;) **Nibs98: **LOL. I did take it as a compliment. Thanks! :) I try to respond to all my readers whether or not they have an account. To be honest, I don't think the other authors ignored you because you didn't have an ff account. There were probably too many reviews for them to respond to or it probably wasn't their way. As for my other readers who felt sorry for Raye, all I can say is this, people have different experiences and see things differently. It makes us unique and individuals. At the end of the day, as long as everyone respects the opinion of others, everyone will get along just fine! ;) But I'm _really_ glad you feel so strongly about my characters! Thanks! ;) **WeirdRaptor: **Haha...Nope! Not in this fic or any other of mine, I think. I love him too much to kill him off! ;) **Guest:** Thanks! Here's your update! ;)

Without further ado, here's the final part of **Avenging Guardians** in a story written especially for **Shaydoe**.

**Thoughts are in **_Italics__**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

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**Come Back to Me (Part 5(d): Avenging Guardians: Amy's Advice**

Darien sat on the floor in his bedroom, his back to his bed listening to the bright, cheerful voice from his answering machine, "Hi there! This is Serena. You've reached Darien Shields's number but he's not able to come to the phone right now. Please leave a message and I'll make sure he'll call you back!"

In his hand was the disc Andrew had given him earlier at the arcade after his confrontation with Lita.

"The girls are helping me with my survey. Every customer taking part in the survey gets a free CD," Andrew had said as he showed him a CD case featuring Mina and Raye on the cover. "I think the boys participated just to get the cover picture, but hey, whatever works! I get my questionnaires on arcade facilities and services answered and the girls get to promote their songs."

When he had said nothing as he had done throughout Andrew's prior frustrated, angry lecture and now attempt at a casual conversation, Andrew had continued, "Anyway, Rena was here because she was worried that her friends might have included _her _song in the CD..."

He couldn't help it. He had automatically set his coffee aside and straightened in his chair.

"Ah, thought _that_ might catch your interest!" Andrew had said without missing a beat, "Hmm... I gave her a copy of the free CD to assure her that only Mina's and Raye's songs are in there," keeping his eyes steady on him, "Rena's very good at reading people though. Her song_ isn't_ on one of the free CD. It is, however, on _this one_."

Because Andrew had understood his silence perfectly this time, his best friend had handed him the CD in question as he rose, "Yes. She apparently wrote a song, that she sang to her friends last Thursday, which one of them recorded, which Mina gave me to give to you after you ran off the other night."

As he had stared down at the disc in his hand then, very much like he was doing right now in his bedroom, he had felt Andrew's heated glare and heard it in the snap of his voice, "Yes. I've listened to it and it made me want to cry and punch you in the face at the same time. So I'm going to get back to work now before I forget that you're my best friend and finish what Lita started," as his best friend said pointedly before leaving him to his thoughts in the backroom.

Now, several hours later, worn out from his outburst in the park, anger drained or rather, subdued by fatigue and the confrontation with Raye and the long shower he had taken, he was holding on to the disc like a lifeline. Terror and longing warring in him. Slowly, he got up and slid it into the player, walked back to his bed, switched off all the lights and sat down, bracing himself to hear **_her_**voice singing a song he was _sure _would tear him apart.

Helpless sorrow and yearning flooded over him, into him as he listened to her sweet voice singing for him to love her back. A moan of pleasure, of torment and of crushing guilt tore from his chest. He could do nothing while grief and tenderness swamped him. Her words had his heart both soaring with love and broken with despair and remorse.

He leaned back on his bed and closed his eyes and saw her grief-stricken face when he had told her that he didn't love her anymore. "I love you Darien. I love you _so much_. Enough to let you go. I just want you to be happy. Even if it _is_ without me. But I can't _have you_ in my life and _not_ love you. I can't _be_ in your life and _not_ love you. I wouldn't know how," was her anguished response to his outrageous lie. Even when he had broken her heart, she had courageously faced him with love shining in her tear-filled eyes and shaking in her voice and broke **_his_** heart.

It was since that night that a new sense of urgency had overshadowed the helpless despair that had clouded his very being since their broke up. He had almost lost her to _Hypnotica_ that night and had resolved **_never_** to let her be in that kind of danger again.

He had doubled his efforts of patrolling and scouring the city every night and was able to get to the droids before the Scouts or his princess had had to face them on more than several occasions. And when he hadn't been able to get there before they did, he had stayed in the shadows and helped out as much as he could, without being seen by them.

He had also been hunting Rubeus and the Ayakashi Sisters, determined to find out if they had anything to do with the nightmares he had been having. He made contact with Catzie by pretending to be buying a gift for his girlfriend at her makeup stand when the youngest Ayakashi sister had been defeated by Sailor Mars and turned to human. But his psychometric abilities and his instincts had told him that she was completely in the dark regarding the nightmare.

He was there when Bertie had fought Sailor Mercury, during Prizma's battle with Sailor Jupiter and in the course of Avery's duel with Sailor Venus and since by that time had managed to get more control over his powers, he was able to discreetly helped out unnoticed and had watched from afar with enormous pride as his princess healed the sisters one by one. As with Catzie, he had approached each sister and had found no clue to his nightmare from any of them and even though he wasn't able to defeat Rubeus, he sensed nothing from the red head enemy either.

Sighing, Darien groped in the dark and turned on the lamp on his bedside table and picked up the picture frame on it. He knew he wasn't going to get any sleep that night. Knowing he was torturing himself and yet unable to stop, he sat up again, replayed the song and gazed at her picture in the dimmed light. He ran his thumb slowly over her smiling lips, praying that she'd always be smiling like that but seeing instead her shattered look that he was sure would forever haunt him.

When morning came and the sunlight streamed in, Darien made himself get out of bed. Weary and tired yet resolved, he picked up the phone and made an appointment to see the Dean.

Ten days later found Andrew in a very rare mood. He was furious. Absolutely _livid _with his best friend. Darien hadn't been to any of his classes _at all._ It was now Thursday evening and he hadn't seen his best friend since _last _Monday. Not _this_ past Monday, but the Monday _before_ that.

He hadn't seen him. He hadn't spoken to him. The guy wouldn't even answer his phone nor had the courtesy to open his door. _And_ he had just found out that Darien had taken a sabbatical from classes for the rest of the semester _from one of the professor_. His blood boiled at the thought of it. If the professor hadn't stopped him to ask how Darien was doing, if he was feeling any better, if the professor hadn't mentioned how gaunt and unwell Darien had looked when he had asked for a sabbatical that was granted_ nine days ago_, he, Darien's oldest friend, his _best friend_, would have been none the wiser. He would've been completely in the dark. _Unacceptable!_ He thought resentfully as he headed towards his best friend's place, _I'll tear the door open if I have to!_

Unaware of Andrew's murderous thoughts, Darien stared out of his balcony with his hands in his pockets, deep in thoughts.

Getting the sabbatical was surprisingly easy especially with his prior perfect grades and records. His sunken looks and his shadowed eyes had further convinced the Dean and his professors of the necessity for a break.

So he had stayed in during the days to brood and wallow in the dark with all the curtains closed. Since more of his powers had awakened, he was able to sense the presence of negative energies and pinpoint the location without having to scour for the enemies should they make an appearance. He was the Prince of Earth after all. Hence, the evenings and nights he usually spent patrolling because that was when attacks usually occur were now left mostly free for him to brood and wallow even more.

If he hadn't been concerned with keeping his head clear in case of battles, he'd drink himself drunk. But he would never risk Serena's safety, not even for momentary dullness of his pain. So he was even deprived of _that_ escape from reality.

Darien's head began to pound. He scowled when he slowly realised that the pounding was in tandem to the one coming from his door.

"Darien!" Andrew's voice accompanied his angry hammering on the door, "You'd better open this door right now!"

Intending to ignore his best friend as he had for the last several days, righteously thinking that if he couldn't get drunk, he should at least be entitled to wallow in solitude, he was momentarily placated by the short-lived silence but was barely able to bit back the curse when he heard his door opening a few minutes later. "Never figured you'd actually resort to breaking and entering, Andrew," he said drily as he walked into the living room...and watched in disbelieve as the normally quiet and shy Amy, stepped in front of Andrew with what appeared to be a pair of pins in her hand.

The bluenette looked so sombre that Darien's first thought was something had happened to Serena. There was a quick clutch in his gut and his knees went weak at the thought. "Is she..."

"She's okay Darien," Amy answered his unfinished question quietly before turning to Andrew, "Please Drew, I need to have a moment in private with him. Just for a bit," she pleaded.

Andrew nodded, instinctively sensing the urgency behind Amy's request. "I'll be in the kitchen," he said and switched on the lights as he headed towards Darien's kitchen with every intention of making himself at home.

"I'm sorry I broke into your home and scared you into believing that Rena might've been harmed, Darien."

"I didn't think that picking locks would be one of your fortes."

"It was rather interesting to see that theory and practical went hand in hand."

Recovering from his surprise, relief and disbelieve gave way to resignation, "I supposed it's inevitable that you be here. But I don't imagine you'd have anything left to say that your friends hadn't already covered."

"On the contrary, Raye and Lita tend to lead with their hearts. Mina uses both her heart and her mind most of the time, but of all of us, she's probably the most protective of Serena which increases the probability of heart over mind. But you and I, we are intellectual creatures, aren't we Darien? We assess situations rationally, logically, critically and analytically, don't we?" The sting in her words delivered so matter-of-factly nearly made him wince.

"Are you implying that you agree with my...assessments...and actions?" he found some hollow pleasure in tossing her words back at her.

Unruffled, "No, not at all. You're too close to the situation to be able to see things clearly, objectively," Amy replied.

"Mina said the same thing."

"Mina is our leader for a reason. Like I said, she tends to use both the heart and the mind."

"And you're here to argue objectively from a purely intellectual perspective?"

"So to speak," It was foolish to deny to either him or herself that her heart was just as involved as her mind even though her mind was of course, far superior to that of an above average intelligent person. "Are you afraid to listen to what I have to say, Darien?" she challenged softly.

Darien lifted a brow at that. Amy wasn't the type to confront people, which meant she had something she felt was important enough for him to hear. He gestured her to a seat.

Amy glanced around the apartment with its minimal yet elegant, tasteful furnishing as she took the seat he offered on a comfortable cushioned sofa and waited for him to sit beside her.

When he did, she presented her case in her quiet, sensible way, "I ran some probabilities and came up with three main possibilities of who might be responsible for your nightmares," she said, pacing her words while Darien studied her face.

"An enemy would be an obvious suspect and would send you the nightmares for obvious reasons. The two of you are stronger together. Breaking you up would be the strategic thing to do. If this came from an enemy, we're dealing with one that is clever enough to know that you can't be _turned against _each other but would_ indeed_ sacrifice your own happiness by letting the other go if it would mean keeping them safe." The bluenette pointed out rationally.

She kept her hands folded in her lap, kept her body very still before continuing with her next possibility, "An impartial party would do it for observation, a test, a study or other impartial objective that may not be in our scope to hypothesise."

"What? You're not referring to extraterrestrial life forms, are you? Aliens?" She saw the cool dismissal on his face, a thin veil of it over incredulity that she would even _consider_ the possibility.

"Well, technically all of us Scouts _and_ Serena _are _aliens. Serena's Lunarian, Mina's part Lunarian, part Venusian, Raye is a Martian, Lita's Jovian and I am a Mercurian. So we can't really rule out the possibility of others being out there, with their own abilities and agendas," she replied, unruffled.

"You're implying there are other life forms out there with the ability to project dreams and nightmares and they are responsible for _my _nightmares? For what purpose? To what end?"

"I'm saying it's probable, with current evidence. After all, _you_ have that same ability."

His brows drew together, the annoyance self-directed. "I don't. I _experience_ dreams which are somewhat prophetic in nature. I _interpret_ them somewhat instinctively. But I don't _project_ them onto someone else." His usual calm face showed strain around the eyes and mouth as his own mind circled around a possibility he wasn't sure he'd be able to face.

"I have a theory on that which we'll circle back to in a minute but before we get sidetracked, I'd like to propose a possible answer to your earlier question. I think _if _your nightmares came from an impartial party, it's probably to study love or free will."

She held up a hand to stop him from interrupting, "No, hear me out. Love and will power are the most powerful form of energy that we know of, and still very much a mystery even to us. How does love endure? _Will it _endure? Does will power persevere? How are energies harnessed from these sources? How powerful are they? What would it take to destroy them? How long will they remain? Is there a limit? Those are some of the parameters that could be studied and the two of you with your enormous love for one another, massive courage and will power, make perfect specimens."

Darien just waited her out, waited for the pause. It didn't surprise him that she was able to come up with these suppositions and conjectures. She had a mind like a computer.

"You've given this a lot of thought," he qualified.

"Not really. It's mostly just common sense and putting myself in their shoe," she shrugged it off noncommittally and went on, "The third possibility is an ally."

"There is _no way_ the nightmare would come from an _ally_!"

"Actually, my calculation shows that to be of the highest probability."

With an effort, he pulled himself back and calmly asked, "Based on what assumptions?"

"Raye did a fire reading and while she did see the images of your nightmare, she saw them as _you having nightmares _and _not_ as precognition. She also didn't sense any evil presence or malicious intent nor did she feel any weight to suggest prophetic vision. This ruled out the nightmares coming from enemies. Also, if it had come from any of our current enemies, you'd figure it out already."

He frowned, shuffled the information in his head. He hadn't realised he was that transparent, even to someone as smart as her. The sensation didn't sit well with him. Absently he rose to pace his living room, "And why would an ally be more probable than an impartial third party?" he asked as he continued to pace.

"Only _slightly_ more probable due to the fact that... dream is _your_ domain. Luna and Artemis confirmed this from what little they know of your heritage."

Darien spun back around. Frustrated fury was on his face and in his voice. "You're saying that _I_ could be responsible for this? _Me_?" he_ was_ clever after all, clever enough to extrapolate Amy's line of thoughts.

"Well, do you know where your dreams come from? Can you rule out your subconscious being the source? Yes, you can't project dreams onto someone else, _yet_. But our powers are developing. Who's to say you won't develop that ability _later_? It seems far-fetched but the probability is there. We've seen too much to rule out any possibility, even that of time travelling. After all, Queen Serenity was able to use the silver crystal to harness the power of _her will _and_ her love _to send all of us to be reincarnated _a thousand years into the future_. So, what evidence is there to debunk the theory that _you_ from the future weren't the one responsible for the nightmares?"

He could feel the anger rising into his throat and bit back on it, "For what purpose?" His face and his voice were carefully blank.

Amy watched him with those quiet blue eyes that hardly ever missed a thing as she answered, "To teach you a lesson. To show you what it would be like to lose each other so that you don't take each other for granted, so that you would treasure each other more, so that your bond grow stronger. I think you'd be better able to answer this question than I."

"I wouldn't break us up! I wouldn't do this to us!" Naked pain flashed across Darien's features.

Intellectual objectivity couldn't stand against the tidal wave of his pain or the flood of her own emotions. Tears gathered in her throat as she forced herself to continue, "Wouldn't you? Current situation proved otherwise. That fact aside though, I don't think the purpose is to break you up so much as it was for you to learn those lessons. We don't know what will happen in the future. How sure are you that there are no future events or circumstances that required for you to learn all these lessons? That required for your love and faith in each other to be even stronger than it was?"

She could feel the tension gather in him like a bruise. _It must be difficult for him_, she thought, _the powerful reincarnated Prince of Earth_ _to have to stand without a weapon to protect the one he values the most, to consider **himself**__as being **responsible** for her pain_.

"Darien, these are the _many _possibilities that I came up with. But do you know the _one_ conclusion I derived from _all_ these possibilities? From _each _one of them?" she said gently.

Darien couldn't remember the last time he was so tired and so off his stride. Because his throat was dry, he remained silent as he tried to clear his head.

"You weren't supposed to break up with her," she said it so simply.

There was pain under his heart, like a knife between the ribs. He was afraid it was the truth stabbing at him.

She took a deep breath as she understood more fully what played in her head. "I have a suggestion, a kind of experiment," she let out as she watched him win the bitter battle for control.

"What is it?" he asked curtly.

"When you go to bed tonight, get rid of your fears, your belief in the truth of the dream, make a _choice_ to ignore it." She said it so firmly that had Darien arching his brows, "Why?" he asked as he looked at her, that serene face, those eyes so filled with quiet understanding.

"Serena had the same nightmare you had. _She_ chose to put her faith in your love rather than the nightmare. It never bothered her again. If I'm right, your nightmare will stop once you chose your _love_ over your _fear_. It will stop once you accept the risk and _fight_ to keep her safe rather than give up _without a fight_. There's a saying after all, nothing worth having comes without a risk. Or will you deny that the fear of losing her was your only reason for breaking up with her in the first place?"

He was, at least with himself, a brutally honest man. Amy was right. There _was_ only one reason for the break up. It was the image that had continually plagued his nightmare. One of Serena, battered, bloodied, broken, in his arms, on their wedding day,_ lifeless_ and the terror that by being with her, he might make the nightmare come true.

Amy lifted her brow, nodded in approval at his silent acknowledgment. "She's hurting right now. Dying from the inside as I can see you are. Is that really what you want for her? I'd rather have a _full, happy_ life that is _short_ rather than a_ long_, _shattered, empty_ life. That's not living at all, Darien."

"How will she forgive me, Amy? After everything I've done and put her through? She deserves so much better." His heart was more than bruised, his body tired to the point of drained and his spirit restless and tormented.

Tears sprang into Amy's eyes as she got up to leave. She heard the hurt and the longing and had to turn away from it for a moment before she answered, "That's not true. Serena loved...loves you very much. She wanted...wants nothing more than to be with you. Don't put her somewhere she doesn't want to be. Don't do that to her."

She walked to the door, turned and looked at him and saw why Serena had fallen for him. Not just the outrageous good looks. But in his eyes, she saw so much power, so much pain and longing for the one he loved. She felt weak and weepy. Hurt for the both of them squeezed her heart. "We're having a sleepover tomorrow night. At the shrine. Eight o'clock would be a good time for you to show up," she said gently as she took her leave.

"Thank you, Amy," he said humbly. The bitingly polite, brutally frank and sympathetically understanding Scouts of Wisdom had opened his eyes and given him a lot to ponder.

When Amy left, Andrew entered the living room with a mug of steaming coffee and a plate of sandwich that he put on the table but didn't bother to sit down.

"Have you ever done something so bad that shames you so deep it puts fire in your throat and ice in your gut?" Darien asked as he too remained standing, hands fisted inside his pocket. He felt like something slimy that had climbed up from under a rock.

Andrew watched him carefully, noting the fatigue in his eyes, the shadow under them and decided that his best friend had suffered enough and Amy probably got her point across.

"I know there are...things...that you and the girls can't tell me. I'm not completely oblivious," he said and raised his hand to stop Darien from interrupting him. "Amy's really wise and she rarely said anything that isn't useful. I imagined between her and the other girls, you ought to have enough to consider. I just have one more thing to add before I leave you to the solitude I know you sorely crave."

It was painful to see how much his friend was hurting but he stubbornly carried on, "Do you know what I see when I look at you and Rena, Dare?"

Knowing Andrew wasn't really expecting an answer from him, Darien maintained his silence.

"The two of you were so in tuned with one another. _You_ reached out for her even before she started to fall and _she_ cheered you up before you could even begin to sulk. I see opposites who at the _core_ of it are _so_ alike, loyal and strong and so much in love with one another. I see opposites who _completed_ each other. _She_ lifted you up and _you_ keep her feet on the ground. Her light brightened your life..."

"And my darkness _swallowed_ her whole!" Darien interrupted vehemently as he squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed the heel of his hand over his aching heart.

Andrew frowned at this and shook his head, "No. It doesn't. It provided a medium for her light to shine _brighter_. There can be _no_ light _without_ darkness and _darkness_ has _no_ meaning_ without_ light."

It worried him to see Darien so lost but as his best friend opened his eyes again, he saw a faint gleam of hope in his dark blue depths and the tension spiking to the base of Andrew's skull eased.

"You do what you have to do Dare. But if I were you, I'd start crawling, and _soon_. Rena's the most forgiving person I know. But even _she_ would have her limit."

Putting on his coat, he pushed the plate of sandwich towards Darien, a silent order for his friend to eat. Then he too, took his leave.

A long time after Amy and Andrew had left, Darien continued to stand where he was, feeling time ticking away and fearing that as each moment passed, Serena's pain and hurt might harden into anger and hatred or_ worse_, fade into indifference.

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **5 August 2013**

**A/N: **Well, hope that was okay. I'm sorry for the long wait. I'm still not really in the mood/condition for writing and this is the longest chapter for this story at 4350+ words, written with me not feeling so good either physically or emotionally, though technicalities _do _come easier for me.

Luckily, the last chapter has been written. I do want to revise it and add in a bit of the Scouts in there. At the moment it contains almost 2000 words of S&D only (Average number of words per chapter of **CBTM** is approximately 2000+ unlike **TOBITF'**s 4000+). Since I currently have a lot going on in my personal life, I'm not sure when I'll be able to get to it but the final chapter of **CBTM** aptly titled **Coming Back** will be posted as soon as it's revised. The more reviews I get, the guiltier I feel, the more likely I'll get working on it! ;)

**TOBITF** readers, Chapter 18: **In Love & In Denial** was up a few days ago. Chances are I'll be finishing **CBTM** first before I get back to **TOBITF**. Chapter 19 is titled **Saori & Seiya** currently consisting of the 2000 words which were supposed to be in the previous chapter. Unfortunately I haven't touched **TOBITF** since my last update. I'm really sorry for it but don't dare make any promises except that I will not give up on the story. :(


	12. Coming Back

**A/N:** And finally, we've come to the end of **CBTM** which is written for my wonderful friend across the sea whom I've met on ff. **Shaydoe**, I can never thank you enough. I'm glad your kindness opened the door to this friendship that I hope would stay strong for always. Thank you for your support, understanding, great advice and wise words. I hope you like this story which is my small way of showing you what you mean to me. :)

Thank you also to everyone who favourite and followed this story and especially those who took the time to review the previous chapter:

**l1s44p: **It's her nature, isn't it? ;) Which Scout are _you_ most like? **Jessicanicoleharp: **LOL. I'm sorry for the long wait and truly glad Amy's chapter did not disappoint. I hope this one doesn't either! ;) **Puffgirl1952:** Double the previous ratings! LOL. Thanks! **JJen.A:** Wow! What a beautiful compliment! Thank you so much! I'm really glad my stories made you feel the way it did. I hope this chapter have the same effect. ;) **familichibatsukino:** Thank you! I am! I am! :) **Moonprincess998: **Thanks! I hope Darien doesn't mess up either! Well, I hope, **_I_** don't mess up! Tell me what you think? **riahsparks: **Thanks so much! And you're very welcome! I hope this wait isn't too long. ;) **Nich31:** Oh thanks ever so much for your support of this story and understanding of my situation. Truly! No, it wasn't easy but I do take my word very seriously and I did promise to finish my stories. You're very welcome. I hope the conclusion doesn't disappoint! ;) **James Birdsong:** Good! I'm glad! ;) **Rose: **LOL. There's a bit of me in _all _my characters! I'm mortal too! Thanks so much for your kind words and support! ;) **LoveInTheBattleField:** Thanks! Here it comes! ;) **nickybluejess: **I hope the wait isn't too long! I actually feel bad for the both of them. I really hope you think he fixed it the right way, that I used the right approach! ;) **Amydali86: **I'm glad you thought so! Thanks! ;) ** SerenityShield:** Thanks! Technicalities do come easier for me. I'm glad you approved! ;) **kbtjmandy:** Thanks! I'm glad she came across as wise! I'm afraid I haven't touched **TOBITF** since my last update of the story but I'll get back to it as soon as I'm able! ;) **Emily: **Oh thank you so much! Glad it worked out to your satisfaction. Serena's response (the flashback) was one of my favourite lines too. :) I think sometimes the best solution is the simplest solution even though it may not be too obvious ;) **trish1573: **Your faith in me never ceases to amaze! I'm so thankful for it! And for you! Hope this chapter makes you smile! ;) **4getmeknots:** I'm glad! I was really trying to tie all the loose ends both via explanations inserted in between Darien's brooding and his conversation with Amy. :) **Loca8892:** LOL. Somehow I don't think Amy is the type that would confront someone without having all her "i's" dotted and all her "t's" crossed! Nor would Darien be easily persuaded without convincing arguments with proper justifications to support said arguments/theories. Until Raye's confrontation with Darien, I don't think the Scouts are aware of Darien's psychometric abilities nor did Raye know to conduct her fire reading. If you remember Raye's Regret chapter, she thought the idea of him reading into a dream was ridiculous until he made the comparison to her reading the Sacred Fire. My interpretation is that the Scouts and Darien weren't that close and since Darien was just coming into his powers, there was a lot they (including himself) didn't know about his abilities. Also I don't think Darien was ready to listen before and I think each Scout did something to get through to him. In the end, as an 'intellectual creature' as Amy called him, he responded to logic and rational thoughts which he was too steeped in the middle to figure out for himself. That's what I hope Amy's chapter conveyed. On another note, I hope you had a wonderful birthday and pray this chapter don't disappoint you! :) **Chelle MaBelle:** Oh I'm really glad you thought so! I totally agree with you and so happy someone else shared the same idea! Thanks! Here's the last chapter! Hope you like it! ;) **SailorMoonForever:** You know, when I met Shay on ff, I never thought I'd find someone else as kind and wonderful as she is. I truly am blessed! It's amazing how much I admire the two of you as writers. Yet, I admire the two of you _more_ as human beings, which is saying a lot as I really do love your writings! ;) I'm really, really glad you loved Amy's chapter and thought to let me know! It means a lot! :) **boston:** Thanks for the compliment, the understanding and the support! I really appreciate it! :)

Okay, without further ado, I give you '**CBTM (Part 6)'** the final instalment.

**Thoughts are in **_Italics__**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

* * *

**Come Back to Me (Part 6: Coming Back)**

Amy was right. Andrew was right. Friday night found Darien climbing up the many stairs of the shrine. Sweat, icy and thin, ran a line down his back and it had nothing to do with the long arduous hike up and everything to do with nerves. His palms were sweaty and his heart was thudding. He had a feeling of foreboding and dull terror filled his chest. The door opened before he could knock.

Four pairs of eyes studied the tall, ridiculously good-looking raven haired man standing in the door way. Light blue, green, purple and dark blue eyes observed the lines of strain and tension etched deeply into Darien's features, dragons at the gates, on the ready to defend their princess.

A faint smile softened Mina's face. "She's in the kitchen," she said quietly, "Somehow I don't think she'll want to see you but..." her smile was rueful now, "We'll give you _exactly_ five minutes of privacy to change her mind before we go in and toss you out should you fail to do so."

Lita stepped forward. "If you _do_ succeed in changing her mind, be sure to remember what you've put her through. Because if you _ever_ hurt her again, I'll do _more_ than punch you in the face, I'll break every bone in your body and spread them from here to Timbuktu," she said in a deceptively calm voice which was completely belied by the fire in her green eyes.

Even though a hint of sympathy shone in Raye's purple eyes, her tone was solemn and she was adamant, "You already know the pain of losing her. Hurt her again, I'll put a hex on you and you'll relive that pain _every_ day of your life knowing that you will _never_ get her back again, because soul mate or not, there is_ no way i_n hell any of us will _ever _let you anywhere near her again if you do." She studied Darien's face and was glad she had found her peace and closure. There were no more regrets and ghosts of what might have been haunting her. She had finally accepted that he was never hers to begin with and that he would be with the one he was meant to be with. The one he loved the most. The one _she_ loved the most.

With the Lita and Raye having had their say, Mina eased forward again. "You can't hurt someone you love without hurting yourself. You _can't_ give her only _parts_ of yourself and _not_ hurt her. She deserves the _whole_ of you, Darien. You need to give her the _whole_ of you, the love, the vulnerability, the fear, the dream, the loyalty, the faith, the _whole_ of you. She shouldn't have to accept anything less." Her voice was soft yet firm delivered as a both a plea and an order.

Darien turned to the last of her princess's guardian, "Anything to add, Amy?" he murmured anxiously.

Amy shot him a brief supportive look, tilting her head towards her blonde leader, "Mina's the Scout of Love. Love is _her _domain. I know enough to defer to her on this and you'd be wise to listen. Just remember, Rena is very precious to us and you've caused her enough unhappiness. You mean well, I know that. But the end does not justify the means. You have a lot of making up to do. If you don't, I'll think of the most effective, excruciating ways for Lita to break your bones and come up with a way to strengthen the potency of Raye's curse." Her point was conveyed gently, in typical Amy way but there was the same weight behind her words as there were behind her friends' words.

Having said their piece, the girls parted to let him in.

With Mina leading, Darien made his way to the kitchen and just stood there for a moment, gathering himself. His breath had caught at the sight of his love. Helpless yearning filled him and he had to use every ounce of will he had to keep from rushing to her. He put his hands inside his pockets to stop himself from simply grabbing her and continued to watch as Serena load the dishwasher, her back to him. He ached to pull her into his arms, to kiss her, to hold her, to caress her, to heal her pain, any way he could.

Mina discreetly moved away to give them a moment of privacy.

_She's so... small_, he thought. Everything about her portrayed fragility. Yet she's the strongest person he had ever known.

Even though he maintained his barriers, the bonds between soul mates could never be erased completely and he noted the slight stiffening of her shoulders as she sensed his presence and slowly turned.

She should have seemed delicate, highly breakable, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail rather than her usual trademark buns, the pink sweater hanging loose over her petite figure which had lost too much weight. She looked heartbreakingly young and vulnerably beautiful. But as she waited with every appearance of calm as he walked towards her, she seemed indestructible.

"I thought we agreed to stay out of each other's life." Her voice was low and as measured as her gaze.

She had known the moment he entered the kitchen. She hadn't seen him, heard him or smelled him. Yet his presence had washed over her, flooded into her. Pain, shock, joy, fury and shame, all so intense, all so immediate, she had reeled from them. One powerful emotion slamming into another until she felt the strength she'd rebuilt  
draining away, leaving her weak and shaken.

Her stomach did a quick nasty pitch. But pride had her jerking back and struggled against the ache that centred in her gut. She fought and won and had managed to turn toward him with that outward apathy. Inside though, she was seething with rage. She knew just _who_ to blame for him being here. _No wonder I'm stuck with kitchen duty! Well meaning friends aren't just a gift, they can be a curse as well. Wait till I get my hands on them_, she thought, trying to ignore the twisting twinge in her heart at the sight of his well remembered face.

Rocked from the pain, she took a dish rag from the counter and took her time wiping her hands, keeping her eyes on them instead of him.

"I don't imagine we have anything left to say to each other," she looked up as she spoke and instinctively stepped back when she realised he had moved forward to stand directly in front of her.

Putting the dish rag aside, she started to make her way out of the kitchen, too distracted by her shame and anguish, too desperate to get away from him to notice the tortured remorse and the immense sorrow that darkened his deep sea blue eyes.

"Serena, wait," he stepped into her path and reached for her.

"No! Don't touch me!" She recoiled wildly from his hand and moved sideways to take the remaining steps that would enable her to get past him.

Darien was willing to let her do anything, **_anything_** to him, except to leave him. "Don't go," he called hoarsely, "Serena, please let me..."

Serena's composure broke. She hated the quick surge of hope she had felt, **_terrified_** it would just bring her more heartache. "No! Don't come near me!" " She cried hysterically as she frantically worked to squash the unwanted flickers of emotion.

She tried to run but Darien caught her by the arms. Turning on him, she struggled wildly, strike out at him, ferocious and fierce in her bid to get away from him and the pain that being near him caused her.

"Let go of me!" She screamed in hysterical, maddened pain as she shoved at him and got nowhere. "How could you?!" she pounded on his chest madly. "You gave up on us!" her shoulders shook with silent sobs. "I begged you on my knees!" tears streamed down her face, "**_Twice_**, I begged you on my knees! And **_still_** you gave up on us!"

It took all of Darien's strength to hold her until her fury was finally spent and she collapsed against him, her small form racked with heart wrenching sobs. "I begged you. I **_begged_** you," she wept brokenly in his arms, "And you **_gave up_** on me, **_tossed _**me aside, **_threw_** me away." She wept with shame for her lack of will to keep pushing him away. She wept with defeat for a love she couldn't give up on. And even as she wept for herself, she let him pull her against his chest.

Her words slashed him like knives. He held her, staring blindly ahead, remembering the beautiful, laughing girl who had literally crashed into his life and turned it upside down with her glowing smile, unfailing faith in him and unshakable love for him.

Tormented by her tears, he clasped her tighter to him and rubbed his jaw against her temple. "I'm sorry," he told her, a raw ache in his voice. He cupped her face in his palms, tipping it up to gaze into her eyes, his thumbs moving over her wet cheeks, desperately trying to brush her tears away.

"**_I'm sorry_**." Slowly he bent his head and covered her lips with his. "I am so, **_so_** sorry."

It felt so good, so _right_ to have his mouth covering hers, his hands framing her face. She couldn't help but kissed him back, holding him fiercely to her in a desperate move as shattered sobs racked her body and tears poured from her eyes. Tortured by her grief, Darien dragged his mouth from hers, kissed her wet cheeks and rubbed his hands over her shaking back and arms, trying desperately to ease her pain.

"Please baby, please don't cry anymore," he pleaded hoarsely. "Please don't," he continued in a ravaged whisper as she held him tighter, her cheek pressed to his chest, her tears soaking his shirt and tearing his heart.

"Don't," Darien whispered. His voice raw with his own unshed tears, "You're tearing me apart." His conscience bursting with guilt and his heart bled over the pain he caused her.

Serena heard the raw ache in his voice and fought to stop her tears, fought also to blank out the exquisite beauty of being in his arms again, struggled desperately against the flicker of hope it brought her, knowing her heart would _never _survive the absolute terror of entertaining that hope and having it turned out to be false.

Darien felt her shudder as she bravely tried to get control. He realised immediately that she had instinctively tried to stop crying to keep from hurting him. _He _had _always_ been her first instinct. _His _feelings. _His_ needs. _His_ welfare. _She_ had _always_ put _him_ first.

Completely undone, he cupped the back of her head, holding her face pressed to his chest. In his mind, he could see all the times he had made her cry exactly as she was doing right now, and it made him despise himself with an intensity that was almost unbearable. He knew he had hurt her. He had thought that he had **_had_** to hurt her in order to keep her safe, that the hurt he inflicted would be **_less _**than the one she would have had to endure otherwise. But he had _never_ imagined that she would be hurting _this_ much. He thought he was protecting her. He never figured protecting her would end up almost destroying her instead. As much as he had loved her, as much as she had loved him, he hadn't known that she had loved him _that _much. He hadn't known he held that much power over her. He knew he should have. _She_, after all, had that much power over _him_. Of its own volition, his hands moved up and down her back in a gesture of hopeless comfort.

Serena felt the wall of icy numbness she had built around herself began to melt. She struggled against it even as reality crashed down on her. The swift plunge from soaring and unexpected hope to the grim truth sent her spiralling even further into a pit of despair. _I wasn't enough_, she thought. That had to be true or he wouldn't have been able to toss her aside as casually as he'd toss out the trash. She wasn't enough for him and the crushing humiliation of it made her stomach churn and her broken heart shattered all over again. At her sides, her hands clenched into fists.

Summoning the last vestiges of her pride and self control, Serena firmly pushed away from Darien. "I'm fine now. Really," she said quietly, firmly, her eyes locked on his fathomless blue eyes. "I forgive you, Darien. But I'd like you to leave now."

Darien's jaw tightened and his whole body tensed at the calm deathly finality of her voice. _So cold_, he thought, absently rubbing his heart with a fist. It was hard to accept ice from a girl who had such warmth. _She's not going to make this easy._

Oddly enough, a part of him had thought, had hoped, had convinced himself that she would. That she'd let him talk, that she'd sympathise and understand. That she'd let him come back to her. _She'd listen_, he had told himself. _She's Serena. No one is more kind, more forgiving than Serena_. It's one of the many reasons he loved her. He had been an idiot, but she'd forgive him. She **_had_** to forgive him because...**_she's Serena_**.

So instead, he blocked her words from his mind, as if she had spoken in a language he didn't understand, "Sometimes I looked at you and I stumbled. I couldn't get my breath because all these feelings just rear up and grabbed me by the throat. I was always left not knowing what do about it, how to handle it. There were times when you walked into a room and my heart just stopped. I couldn't breathe. I never knew what do about that, how to handle that either."

Serena's heart stumbled in her chest. It took all of her strength to balance it again. She would not become a victim of her own emotions a second time. "You said that you _don't _love me, that you _don't want_ the responsibility and that I _wasn't worth it_."

"I **_lied_**! I was trying to keep you safe!" Letting a shuddering breath out, he continued, "You're the best thing that had ever happened to me. You are what matters most to me. I love you **_so much_**, I'm **_terrified_** by it. I would've done **_anything_** to keep you safe."

Her heart twisted at the harsh desperation in his voice but her battered pride and her shattered spirit screamed that only a fool without pride or sense would let him near her after everything. Still, the naked anguish in his voice almost brought the tears back to her eyes. "Darien," she whispered brokenly.

"These ten weeks have been the _most_ _horrible_ experience I've ever had. I thought I'd **_die_**. I don't know _how_ I survived it. The sound of your voice on my answering machine was the first thing I listened to when I woke up every morning. It's the last thing I hear before I go to bed every night. And I couldn't sleep, not without holding your sweater to my face, the one you left over at my place. It still smells like you," he continued in a ragged, pain edged voice as though she hadn't spoken, too afraid of her rejection, _completely terrified_ by it.

"I heard your song. Andrew gave it to me. One of the girls gave it to him. I played it every day. All day," his voice was raw with emotion as he let down his barrier and let his feelings wash over her. _All_ of his feelings. _Everything_ he felt. _Everything _that was in him. _All _of him.

Bombarded by his emotions through their link, Serena finally saw the desperation in his eyes, the rigid tension in his powerful shoulders. _He was afraid_, she realised, _even more_ than she, had been hurting just as she was but _more so _because **_he_ **had been burdened by guilt as well as the pain. She saw that he stood there with her in his arms, desperately holding on to her even as he expected her to turn him away, preparing himself to do just about anything to win her back, hating himself for what he had done, beating himself up for not seeing what her guardians had seen, thinking that he didn't deserve her or her forgiveness and yet loving her so much that the thought of letting her go again was unfathomable and filled him with such terror and dread. Tears of tenderness filled her eyes and sweetness pierced her heart.

Even as her hand reached out to touch his beloved face, he jerked her into his arms. "Please," he whispered. His voice hoarse and tight, as if the words were being wrenched from him, "Please..."

Crushing her to him, he buried his face in her hair, "Just give me another chance," he coaxed hoarsely, urgently.

"I love you. I am **_so _**in love with you, so in love with you that I couldn't see straight. I couldn't see straight because loving you is **_everything_**. **_You_** are everything. I swearI'll never let you go again. I **_swear_** it. Please...I'm begging you, one more chance...Come back to me. I'll get down on my knees..." he was sure he'd crawl next.

"Don't!" Serena rose up on her toes and silenced him with her lips. A shudder ran through him and he wrapped his hands desperately around her, his mouth opening on hers, his hands moving over her back, pulling her tightly into him.

"I've missed you so much. I'm sorry. I am **_so_** sorry," he whispered, voice hoarse and raw, trying to gentle his kiss but at the same time hugging her tighter. His lips moved on hers with tender, melting hunger as his hands sank slowly into her silky hair.

Serena kissed him back with all the bursting, aching love in her heart, arching closer to him, holding him tightly to her, where he belonged. His love flowed through their bonds and bathed her senses with such joy and gratification. The cracks in her heart started to heal.

Another shudder shook Darien's powerful form. This slip of a girl drained him of everything and replaced it all with love which burst in his heart and poured through his veins until he ached with the fullness of it. He was home now and content as he always was in her arms. The kind, beautiful girl in his arms, **_she_** was his home and even if it took him the rest of his life, he'd prove it to her.

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **9 August 2013**

**A/N:** Err...I'm actually in the middle of a function (which had been going on for _hours_) right now and added the extra 1000 words or so and revised my almost 2000 words (written before) via my i-phone, discreetly of course. ;) I _was_ careful. So, I really hope there aren't that many mistakes. Ah well, as usual, I'll get back to them soon enough! ;)

Well, did the conclusion live up to expectations? Did it fall short? Please do review and let me know what you think! Like my **LMSY** which could've ended at Chapter 2, I could end this story here but I do have an idea for a short **Epilogue** which should be fun and light where Serena gets a 'sort of' payback. ;) Should I proceed?

It always saddens me when my stories come to an end. If you haven't, I hope you'll give my other stories a chance as well. **BTCSM** and **LMSY** are both completed three-shots while **TOBITF** is about halfway done. All the stories are AU but I do try to maintain the personality of each character. **LMSY** is my first adult fiction set five years after they met, four years after they became a couple. **BTCSM** told of a way Darien could have declared his love and for our favourite couple to end up together. **TOBITF** on the other hand is my first fiction where the elements of SM are manipulated to suit my purpose. It has more chapters than any of my stories and the chapters are usually longer as well (with the exception of the first few chapters when I was just starting to write). It's very dear to my heart (there's always something about your first, isn't there?). Since it's not yet completed, I really hope to continue interacting with you there. Do give it (and **BTCSM** & **LMSY**) a chance. You might be surprised! ;)

Lastly, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this story and look forward to seeing you on the pages of **The Only Blonde in the Family** or any other new stories I (might) come up with in the future! ;)

Edited slightly:** 10 August 2013** (just got back, edited slightly based on some reviews, too tired for elaborate comment at the moment but YES, there will be a short Epilogue.)


	13. Epilogue

**A/N:** Thank you everyone for sticking with this story to the very end. For those of you who read the previous chapter early, it was edited slightly several hours later.

Again, this story is written for **Shaydoe** whose story **Moonlight Rhapsody** happens to be one of my favourite story! As much as I do love her stories though, I love **_her_**more! Shay, you know this is for you! ;)

**Puffgirl1952:** LOL. Each Scout do play a part in Serena's sort of payback in this chapter, though probably not in the way you mean! ;) As for Luna and Artemis, I don't think they make a habit of joining the girls' sleepover sessions! ;) **Lunar Cadet: **TQ, TQ, TQ, TQ, TQ, TQ, TQ! LOL. You get _my _meaning! Really, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed what the girls had to say. ;) **familichibatsukino:** Thank you! I'm glad! :) **riahsparks:** Thanks! Glad you thought it was worth the wait and you're most welcome! ;) **Bunny16:** Wow! Thank you for such a comprehensive review. :) I guess it was a tribute to the previous chapters that the expectation for the final chapter is so high. I do get your point. In fact, it was covered in Mina's Meddling. But Mina saw things from Serena's perspective and there are always two sides to a coin (and a story). The reason Serena believed he didn't love her was covered in both Amy's Anxiety and Mina's Meddling. Darien does love Serena and I tried to convey that throughout the story especially 'avenging guardians'. If you failed to see his love for her, than that is my failure as a writer. Unfortunately, I don't know how else to make the chapter more intense than I already have. I actually think it's my most intense chapter. The way I see it, Darien did not hurt Serena out of selfishness or malice. He simply thought he was keeping her out of harm's way. From his POV, to stay with her would've been selfish. He sacrificed his feelings as much as he did Serena's. In his shoe, letting go of Serena _was_ the ultimate sacrifice and that took courage and selflessness. I did edit the previous chapter slightly to try and convey this better. :) **Moonprincess998: **Thanks! Here's the Epilogue! Enjoy! :) **escape-reader.13:** Here you go! ;) **4getmeknots: **Oh wow! Thanks! Hope the Epilogue lives up to your expectations! ;) **Darth Brando:** Thank you! I'm glad you thought so! **LoveInTheBattleField:** Thanks! Here's the Epilogue! Hope you like! :) **Emily: **LOL. Then I must sound like a broken record too! Thank you for your kind words and I hope you like the Epilogue! ;) **SailorMoonForever:** LOL. Well, I do have the advantage of _knowing_ your romantic side! As for the romantic gestures, I get quite a bit of that in real life that I tend to appreciate the simple, honest gestures more. ;) There's a reader who reviewed once that said an author's personality shone through their writing, and aside from Shay, _no one_ on ff knows me better than you! *heart* **Nich31: **Oh I'm so glad you thought so! Thank you so much! And you're very welcome! I hope you'll like my other stories and the Epilogue! PS: I noticed you review to chapter 2 of my completed story. If you skip the 3rd chapter with my ramblings and proceed to the 4th chapter, it contains the final chapter to that story. I hope you like the ending! Thanks again for your support of my stories! ;) **SerenityShield: **Thanks! Can I steal your line? I think you review is 'amazing in its simplicity' too! ;) **naughtygirl:** Thank you! The Epilogue is definitely happier! ;) **WeirdRaptor:** Thanks! Haha...couldn't change your mind about him, huh? Tough customer! ;) **nickybluejess:** Thanks! Read on to find out! ;) **maya09:** What a compliment! Thank you so much! ;) **kbtjmandy:** Thanks! I'm so glad you thought so! ;) **jessicanicoleharp:** LOL. Here you go! ;) **Amydali86: **Thanks! It means a lot that you thought so! :) **Rose:** Oh thank you! You're always so kind and I truly appreciate the faith and support. As for Shay, I'm the lucky one. Even from across the ocean (and the anonymity of the internet), she's a great friend. Again, thank you for sticking with my stories and having faith in my ability to write them. ;)

And last, but definitely not least, **Shaydoe:** Thank you so much Shay! What a perfect review! It means more to me than you'll ever know. You REALLY are a treasure and I'm glad I found you! I think we'll stop the traffic together (drivers will be confused to see _two_ red lights instead of one!) ;)

For **TOBITF** follower, I'll be posting Chapter 19: **Saori & Seiya** as soon as I can. I'm sorry, I know a lot of you are waiting but I don't dare promise as I really am exhausted most of the time and completely swamped with academic and social obligations. I do aim for at least two chapters (maybe three) to come out this month. I just don't know when.

Finally, here's presenting you with '**CBTM (The Epilogue)'**.

**Thoughts are in **_Italics**.**_

(Standard disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sailor Moon characters. All characters belong to Naoko Takeuchi.)

* * *

**Come Back to Me (The Epilogue)**

Darien grinned at Serena. "What do you say to watching some old videos and eating ice cream and pop corn after dinner?"

Somehow the image of her face that was too pale and too thin _because of __**him**_ had stayed with him even after three weeks of being back together and he was constantly filled with the urge to feed her.

"Hmm, I get to choose the movie and _any_ type of ice cream _and_ you'll make the pop corn?" She asked cheekily, laughter in her eyes.

Darien chuckled. It lightened his heart to see happiness on her face and his gaze lingered on it for a moment. Love swamped him in huge, unexpected waves.

"I love you," he said quietly, eyes locked onto hers.

Faint colour bloomed on her cheeks, delight filled her eyes. "I know," she said with a soft knowing smile.

With her chin in her hands, she watched as Darien unpacked the grocery bag, studying him, measuring, considering.

"What is it?" he asked feeling her eyes on him.

"The girls made a bet this morning."

His eyebrow raised, "Oh?"

She nodded, "Hmm...We need a favour from you. Well, _the girls_ need a favour..."

"I'm listening."

"Raye and Mina want to put on a show, you know with the latest songs they wrote. And Mina also has that entire new wardrobe designed, Lita with her new recipes..."

"Okay." He shot her a thoughtful glance. "What's the favour and what was the bet?"

"Well, Mina and Amy said you'd do _anything_ for me and Lita and Raye disagreed. Andrew's fifty-fifty," she said, a hidden gleam of amusement lit her eyes and her mouth curved to form a faint smile.

"And what does _Serena _think?" he asked, his eyes assessing.

Serena shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm with Andrew on this."

"You don't think I'd do anything for you?" he asked with a sly grin though he was only half teasing.

Her pulse leaped, making her feel slightly foolish.

"I don't know, would you?"

"Hmm...What's the favour?"

"A small gathering so that Lita could advertise her new cuisine while Mina and Raye perform the new songs, all of us wearing the new designs and Amy gets to fiddle with her latest video software. Here."

"Sure. Okay."

He started to pull out ingredients for dinner as she turned her face up to him and pouted a little, "Just like that?"

"Why not? It's not a problem. And I **_would _**do anything for you," He said with a smug smile on his face and added, "within reason," just as a precaution. He _would _do anything for _her_. Her _friends _on the other hand, he'd have to think twice before agreeing. Except that, in Serena's book, and the girls, doing anything for Serena often included doing anything her guardians deemed necessary.

In the past three weeks that they had gotten together, Amy had given him _a dozen_ relationship guide books including '**_Men Are from Mars_**_, __**Women Are from Venus**_', '**_Truly Mars & Venus_**', '**_50 Ways to Show Your Love_**', '**_What You Feel, You Can Heal_**' and '**_The Ways to Treat a Lady_**'. She had not only made him promise to read each one from cover to cover but also went so far as to quiz him on the contents of each book, which he complied with and aced. When she asked him to write a comparison studies between all the books however, he had had to come up with a handful of 'reasons' to change her mind when he finally realised that she was only teasing, or at least he _hoped_ she was.

Lita had given him _a dozen _recipes to Serena's favourite main dishes and a list of cooking books that covered pastries, cakes, cookies and many others that she thought he _must_ have. She had insisted that he made four of the main dishes per week to pass _her_ inspection before preparing four different menus consisting of said dishes, complete with various accompanying desserts and savouries for _her_ approval, and preparing said meals for Serena. He had bought _all _the books she 'suggested' and had received her approval on all twelve main dishes, all twelve menus, all twelve desserts _and _all twelve savouries that he made. The look on Serena's face and to see her eat with an appetite again made all the effort completely worth it. But when Lita 'suggested' that he switch his studies from medicine to culinary with the rational that he'd be able to make a good living from his skills _and_ he'd be less busy as a cook than a doctor _and _Serena loved to eat, he had drawn the line (after he had managed to stop gaping at her) and were somehow able to calmly and sensibly convinced her that he'd be better able to provide _and_ care for Serena as a doctor _and_ would still be able to feed her as Lita herself had pointed out that he _did_ have the skill to make all of Serena's favourite dishes now. He also had to swear an oath to the Scout of Thunder that Serena would always come first no matter how busy his studies or work gets and if he failed that for even a minute, he'd consider the switch in career.

Mina and Raye had hinted _subtly _at first and finally bluntly stated that since _Serena_ had written _him_ a song, shouldn't he _reciprocate_? They had been adamant that whatever song he wrote, must meet _their_ approval. Writing the song for Serena had been easy. He had so much in him for her after all and the words had come out to form a beautiful, heartfelt lyric. The music was easy too as he had been playing the guitar and piano for a long time and had his own instruments to work on. But when Mina and Raye had insisted he performed it for them first, he had put his feet down and insisted that he would never even _consider_ performing in front of anyone else and if he ever did, which would probably only happen when hell freezes over, the privilege of being the first person to listen to a song written for _her_, would belong to Serena and Serena _alone_. A compromise was reached and he gave Mina and Raye the _written _tunes and lyrics for their stamp of approval instead. The two girls had looked at it critically at first, played it on their own instruments and then gushed and squealed over the song till he was red with embarrassment. When _that_ was done, he endured _hours_ of shopping with them with the two of them bickering over the perfect gift. Knowing his princess very well and desperate to stop the squabbling between her two guardians, he had ended up buying both of what each had thought Serena would love the most. His Serena, he knew, sometimes presented a different facet of herself to everyone. She loved all her guardians, every different aspect of them. What Raye thought she would love most but contested by Mina, would be something Serena shared in common with the priestess in their own private moment and the same would be true in the case of what Mina thought she might love the most but refuted by Raye. So he had gotten the two gifts and had went back to the mall on his own afterward to buy what _he_ thought she'd love the most.

The two girls had also 'helped' 'set the stage' for his 'performance' and nearly drove him mad with their minute by minute by play of what he should do, the arrangement of his furniture, how best to give her the gifts, where and how he should sit while he sang to her, where _she_ should be sitting, the best lighting, what he should wear, what he should cook (Lita had had something to say about this too), the type and amount and placements of flowers (apparently, on top of the bouquet of red roses he planned to give her, he should also have them strategically placed all over his apartment, for the right ambience). When the evening came for that special date, Raye and Mina had even _almost_ managed a sneak peek to his 'performance' before he realised that the two of them were spying from outside his _eighth floor_ window in their Sailor Senshi form instead of leaving as they pretended to. He had the satisfaction of shutting the curtain on their faces.

Andrew had 'persuaded' him that the new Sailor V video game should be installed at the arcade and if _he_ paid for it, Serena would get unlimited access for life. He had ended up paying for all three of the new version. Not that he minded when he heard her squeal of delight when Andrew had announced that they were hers to use at anytime, free of charge. Even Luna and Artemis seemed to conspire against him when the two cat guardians got into an 'argument', in his presence _of course_ and Artemis had attempted to demonstrate to him that in a 'disagreement' between a 'boy' and a 'girl', the _'girl'_ was always right.

So yes, while he really _would_ do anything for _Serena_, he _definitely_ would not dare to make the same promise of agreeing to _anything_ and/or _everything _her _friends _might come up with blindly.

Serena faked a frown. "I thought you'd hate for strangers to intrude in your personal space."

"I do. But as much as I hate for strangers to intrude in my personal space, I love you so much more. So much more," he said it so easily that her heart skipped a beat.

Still, she answered him casually, "I figured that I might have to..._ persuade _you." Her last note came out playfully, almost seductively.

Anticipation lit mischievously in his eyes at her impish tone. "Just out of curiosity, what _would_ you do to..._persuade_ me? And would you like to anyway?" he asked teasingly with raised eyebrows.

Serena grinned. "I haven't finished yet you know, in outlining the favour. That wasn't all..." she said, and struggled to keep her face bland.

He arched an eyebrow, said nothing and started chopping vegetables for the salad while he waited for the punch line.

"Raye also wrote this number and played it for us last night." She looked at him, making it up as she went along. "She sang it with Mina. It was beautiful. But they need a male voice. I suggested you."

Darien blinked, lost all interest in the meal he was preparing. "Suggested me for what, exactly?"

"To sing with Raye and Mina, silly," she answered cheerfully, nearly losing it when he paled. "I don't really get why you don't sing for anyone else. You've got such a nice voice, deep and all male, _sexy_."

Though it wasn't easy, Darien managed to shut his mouth. He slowly put the knife down, buying some time before he could respond, "Serena..."

"Really, it would be great. Raye choreographed this dance routine for you guys and Mina's got a great idea for your costume."

"For my..." Thoroughly shaken, Darien washed his hands slowly, taking his time. "You want me to **_sing_**, and **_dance_**, with Mina and Raye,**_ in a costume_**, **_in public_**, in front of people, **_real_**, **_life_** people?"

"It would mean so much to them. Amy's already got the video concept figured out. You know, for YouTube."

Darien blanched, "**_YouTube_**?"

"It's really tasteful, yet sexy at the same time." testing him, and somehow subconsciously needing to test the effect she had on him, she crossed to him, and began toying with the buttons of his shirt as she looked eagerly up into his eyes.

"Serena, you know I love you. There isn't much that I wouldn't do for you..."

"Didn't you just say you'd do **_anything _**for me_?"_ she asked coyly, looking up at him from under her lashes.

"Within reason. I said anything within reason." Panic had him gripping her arms.

Gently she backed him onto the stool and settled herself on his lap, putting her arms loosely on his shoulder, "You know everyone would love it," and started raining small kisses on his face, "We figured we'd have a live encore performance at the arcade."

Darien made a strangled sound at the back of his throat, "Encore performance, **_live_**? **_At the arcade_**? Which could fit **_more _**people than here?" All the colour drained out of him.

She almost lost it but Serena managed to keep the laughter from coming out of her and continued gleefully, "Why not? Your fan club would pay big money to hear you sing! Drew could even charge for entree fee. With your voice and you're so gorgeous and all, I'll bet the arcade would be full and the YouTube video would have thousands of hits," she said as she trailed her finger down the centre of his chest, "**_hundreds_** of thousands!"

She was laying it just a little too thick. Darien narrowed his eyes, and caught the mischief in hers. "You're putting me on."

Her laughter burst out. "You bought it! You totally bought it! Oh, you should've seen your face." She pressed a hand to her belly, squealed when he tugged one of her buns, hard. "I would've talked you into it too!" she gasped in between laughter.

"I don't think so." Not at all sure of himself, he moved her from his lap, got up and went to the sink, his back to her.

"I could have! You would have done it if I had played it right." All but doubled over with laughter, she threw her arms around his waist and hugged herself to his back. "Oh, I love you."

Darien went very still. The emotions that swept through him were like a storm, quick and violent. Shaken, he turned to face her, gripped her arms.

The laughter died out of her face at the stunned look on his. "What? What is it?"

His deep sea blue eyes were dark and fierce. "I never thought I'd hear you say those words again."

Swamped by his emotions, he dragged her close and buried his face in her hair. "I never thought I'd hear you say those words again," he repeated.

She held on to him, rocked by the emotions vibrating from him. "Of course I'd say the words. I love you."

"You haven't said it. Not once since we got back together." He hadn't known how much he needed to hear her say those words again, hadn't known how terrified he actually was that she no longer felt the same.

Serena opened her mouth, started to deny his statement, but closed it again. It was true. She hadn't. It was foolish and cowardly.

"I'm sorry. It's hard for me. I do love you. Every bit as much as before," she said quietly. "I'm just scared that I'd lose you again."

Darien's heart rolled in his chest at her declaration of love. The loveliest sensation he had ever known. Layering the joy, there was guilt, the same one that never quite left him, not since he first broke up with her, not even after they got back together and not for a very long time to come he was sure of it.

He had known loss in his life, had lived with the harsh, devastating loss of his parents at such a young age and had lived with it because he didn't have any other choice. Young as he was, hard as it was, he had survived with his will and spirit intact and hadn't considered death as an option. Yet, losing her, letting her go, had almost destroyed him, killed something inside of him and had made him _ literally _want to die.

He had known fear and frustration and anger and sorrow, not having his memory, not knowing who he was, being passed from one orphanage to the next and being judged and fawned over for what he had rather than who he was. But he had never been as afraid as he was when the nightmares started and he thought being with him would cause her harm. Terror had filled his heart, consumed him when he thought letting her go was the only way to protect her. He had never known as much frustration as he did searching for a way to keep her safe, to get back to her, nor had he ever been as angry with fate or anyone as he had been with the situation he found himself in and with himself when the weight of Amy's theory had hit him and he had never been in as much agony as he had been when he broke her heart.

He had known all those emotions. He had overcome them, ignored them or used them to his advantage. But until her, he hadn't known he could love so much, feel so complete, experience such happiness and contentment. He hadn't known that one person would ever be so vital to his very being, could be _everything_ to him.

Overwhelmed, he held her in his arms until he was sure he could speak. Easing her back, he looked into her eyes, framing her face in his hands, "You will **_never_** lose me. You never did. Even when I wasn't there physically, my heart was always with you. My thoughts were always on you. I was always yours. I never left. I never will."

He touched his lips to hers and let the kiss deepen slowly, so tender it made her throat ache and her toes curl.

By the time he lifted his head, Serena was completely dazed. "Look at me," he whispered, putting his hand beneath her chin and tipping it up, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I love you. I love you so much that my heart is full with it. Whatever happens, I will always find my way back to you. **_Always_**."

**~THE END~**

* * *

Posted on fanfiction: **12 August 2013**

**A/N:** Well, that's it! My _short E_pilogue is almost 3000 words! I hope I've redeemed Darien in everyone's eyes, at least to a certain extent. The way I see it, these two really do belong together! :)

I do realise that some of you hope for more S&D interactions while some hope for me to make Darien suffer more. As to the first, this is a story focusing during their break up. I don't imagine broken up couples have that many interactions with each other. My intention was to show the Scouts as friends who were there for Serena and to cover Darien's POV, both of which were neglected by the anime in my opinion. As to the latter, I'm not a vengeful person by nature and I'm afraid I don't see Serena as vengeful either. So it's hard for me to imagine/write scenes where she'd make him work harder for her forgiveness. You see, I write what I see in my head and what _feels_ right to me. I don't know how to write any other way.

At the end of the day this story was written for **Shaydoe**. I won't lie and say that reviews and opinions on this story don't impact me, because they do. I take words seriously both when I write them and when I read them. It matters what my readers think **_but_** it matters **_most_** what **_she_** thinks. I apologise for any disappointments but I really did my best on this story and reading it back from the beginning, I'm rather pleased with the end result. Hence, I will only change/edit this last scene at **_her_** request and no one else's.

That said, this story is now complete! The 'lightness' in this chapter in contrast to the 'heavier' feel of the previous chapters was done on purpose. I hope the ending is happy enough and made up for all the angst. :)

Thanks again for reading, reviewing, following, favouriting and supporting. :)


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